THE 

ALHAMBRA 


GIFT  OF 
Publisher 


tDUCATION  DEPT. 


The  Alhambra 


Washington  Irving 


Edited  by  Edward  K.Robinson 

Illustrated  by  Norman  Irving  Black 


Ginn  and  Company 


Boston  -New York  — Chicago  -London 
Atlanta  -  Dallas  -  Columbus  -  San  Francisco 


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PRIETORS  •  BOSTON  •  U.S.A. 


PREFACE 

THERE  is  no  better  way  to  tell  the  story  of  the  prepa 
ration  of  Irving's  "  Alhambra  "  than  to  quote  from  the 
preface  written  by  the  author  to  accompany  his  revised 
edition  of  1851. 

Rough  drafts  of  some  of  the  following  tales  and  essays  were 
actually  written  during  a  residence  in  the  Alhambra ;  others  were 
subsequently  added,  founded  on  notes  and  observations  made  there. 
Care  was  taken  to  maintain  local  coloring  and  verisimilitude ;  so  that 
the  whole  might  present  a  faithful  and  living  picture  of  that  micro 
cosm,  that  singular  little  world  into  which  I  had  been  fortuitously 
thrown ;  and  about  which  the  external  world  had  a  very  imperfect 
idea.  It  was  my  endeavor  scrupulously  to  depict  its  half  Spanish, 
half  Oriental  character ;  its  mixture  of  the  heroic,  the  poetic,  and 
the  grotesque  ;  to  revive  the  traces  of  grace  and  beauty  fast  fading 
from  its  walls ;  to  record  the  regal  and  chivalrous  traditions  con 
cerning  those  who  once  trod  its  courts;  and  the  whimsical  and 
superstitious  legends  of  the  motley  race  now  burrowing  among 
its  ruins. 

The  papers  thus  roughly  sketched  out  lay  for  three  or  four  years 
in  my  portfolio,  until  I  found  myself  in  London,  in  1832,  on  the 
eve  of  returning  to  the  United  States.  I  then  endeavored  to  arrange 
them  for  the  press,  but  the  preparations  for  departure  did  not  allow 
sufficient  leisure.  Several  were  thrown  aside  as  incomplete ;  the 
rest  were  put  together  somewhat  hastily  and  in  rather  a  crude  and 
chaotic  manner. 

In  the  present  edition  I  have  revised  and  rearranged  the  whole 
work,  enlarged  some  parts,  and  added  others,  including  the  papers 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

originally  omitted ;  and  have  thus  endeavored  to  render  it  more 
complete  and  more  worthy  of  the  indulgent  reception  with  which 
it  has  been  favored. 

The  text  of  this  volume  has  been  taken  from  Irving's 
revision.  A  few  of  the  chapters,  which  were  not  essential  to 
the  narrative;  have  been  omitted  in  order  to  keep  the  limits 
of  the  book  within  a  more  readable  compass,  and  here  and 
there  a  slight  abridgment  has  seemed  advisable  in  order  to 
make  the  work  entirely  suitable  for  any  age  or  class  of  readers. 
It  is  believed  that  the  charm  of  this  masterpiece  has  in  no 
way  been  impaired  by  these  few  changes. 

The  notes  at  the  end  of  the  volume  have  been  arranged  by 
pages  so  that  they  may  be  related  easily  to  the  passages  which 
they  explain  without  interrupting  the  reading  of  the  text. 

Thanks  are  due  to  Messrs.  G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons,  the  pub 
lishers  of  Irving's  works,  for  their  kind  permission  to  reprint 
"  The  Alhambra."  It  is  a  pleasure  also  to  acknowledge  the 
valuable  assistance  of  Mr.  Norman  Irving  Black,  whose  de 
lightful  illustrations  will  enable  the  reader  to  picture  more 
vividly  in  his  mind  many  of  the  scenes  described  in  this  book. 

E.  K.  R. 


[iv] 


CONTENTS 

PACK 

THE  JOURNEY 3 

PALACE  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA 39 

IMPORTANT  NEGOTIATIONS  — THE  AUTHOR   SUCCEEDS  TO 

THE  THRONE  OF  BOABDIL 54 

INHABITANTS  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA     ....      ...      .      .  63 

THE  HALL  OF  AMBASSADORS *      ...  68 

THE  JESUITS'   LIBRARY .  75 

ALHAMAR,  THE  FOUNDER  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA        ....  77 

YUSEF  ABUL  HAGIG,  THE  FINISHER  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA    .  85 

THE  MYSTERIOUS  CHAMBERS 90 

PANORAMA  FROM  THE  TOWER  OF  COMARES IO2 

THE  BALCONY HO 

THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  MASON 114 

THE  COURT  OF  LIONS 1 2O 

MEMENTOS  OF  BOABDIL 13° 

LOCAL  TRADITIONS 135 

THE  HOUSE  OF  THE  WEATHERCOCK 139 

LEGEND  OF  THE  ARABIAN  ASTROLOGER 142 

VISITORS  TO  THE  ALHAMBRA 163 

THE  GENERALIFE 169 

LEGEND  OF  PRINCE  AHMED  AL  KAMEL;  OR,  THE  PILGRIM 

OF  LOVE 173 

[v] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

PAGE 

LEGEND  OF  THE  MOOR'S  LEGACY 2IO 

LEGEND  OF  THE  THREE   BEAUTIFUL  PRINCESSES      ...  234 

LEGEND  OF  THE  ROSE  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA  ......  262 

THE  VETERAN 281 

THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE  NOTARY 284 

GOVERNOR  MANCO  AND  THE  SOLDIER 292 

THE  CRUSADE  OF  THE  GRAND  MASTER  OF  ALCANTARA    .  311 

SPANISH  ROMANCE 320 

LEGEND  OF  DON  MUNIO   SANCHO  DE  HINOJOSA    ....  324 

THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  ENCHANTED  SOLDIER 332 

THE  AUTHOR'S  FAREWELL  TO  GRANADA 345 

NOTES .      .  349 

VOCABULARY 363 


[vi] 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


The  Gate  of  Justice ,    2 

The  Alhambra  from  the  Generalife 3 

The  Wine  Gate  —  Alhambra 1 7 

The  Alhambra  and  the  Sierra  Nevada 29 

Map  showing  the  Alhambra,  Granada,  and  Surroundings  •  38 

The  Approach  to  the  Alhambra 39 

Granada  from  the  Generalife 4! 

The  Court  of  Lions 40 

Granada  from  the  Alhambra .  54 

The  Lion  Fountain,  Court  of  Lions 57 

Inside  the  Gate  of  Justice 63 

The  Alhambra  and  Valley  of  the  Darro 68 

Tower  of  Comares  and  Court  of  Myrtles 71 

The  Alhambra  from  "  San  Miguel"  —  Granada 75 

Caves  of  Gipsies  in  the  Albaicin 77 

Walls  and  Towers  of  the  Alhambra 85 

Fountain  of  Lindaraxa oO 

The  Queen's  Chamber o-. 

The  Garden  of  Lindaraxa oo 

Spanish  Girls  dancing  —  Granada IO2 

Street  of  the  Darro IIO 

Street  of  the  Albaicin l  ,4 

Street  of  the  Darro r  1 7 

Palace  of  Charles  V     . l^o 

The  Hall  of  Justice _  I2-, 

The  Court  of  Lions •  .  I2- 

Valley  of  the  Darro,  at  the  Foot  of  the  Sacro  Monto      ....  130 

The  Albaicin  from  the  Alhambra I35 

Ruins  of  Old  Aqueduct  which  once  supplied  the  Alhambra  with 

•                                              ,37 

[vii] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

PAGE 

Up  the  Darro  Valley 139 

El  Bano  de  la  Cara  —  Toledo 142 

A  Court  of  the  Generalife 149 

The  Alhambra  from  a  Window  of  the  Generalife 163 

The  Sanctum  Sanctorum 165 

A  Court  of  the  Generalife          169 

The  Generalife  from  the  Tower  of  Comares i?1 

Guadalquivir  Bridge  —  Co"rdova 1 73 

The  Generalife,   the  Alhambra,  and   Granada  from  "  Silla   del 

Moro"  (Seat  of  the  Moor) 187 

A  Court  of  the  Generalife .  207 

Generalife  from  the  Alhambra 210 

Tower  of  the  Princesses 234 

Towers  and  Walls  of  the  Alhambra 249 

Bridge  Gate  —  Cordova 262 

The  Little  Mosque  —  Alhambra 265 

Market-Place  —  Jaen        • 281 

View  of  the  Tajo-Ronda 284 

The  Vermilion  Towers 292 

Bridge  of  Alcantara  —  Toledo 3 1 1 

Bridge  of  Alcantara  —  Toledo 3  2° 

Old  Arab  Mill  —  Guadalquivir 324 

Garden  of  the  Alcdzar  —  Seville 332 

The  Cathedral  —  Seville 345 


[viii] 


THE  ALHAMBRA 


THE   GATE   OF  JUSTICE 


THE  ALHAMBRA 


THE  JOURNEY 

IN  THE  spring  of  1829,  the  author  of  this  work,  whom 
curiosity  had  brought  into  Spain,  made  a  rambling  expe 
dition  from  Seville  to  Granada  in  company  with  a  friend, 
a  member  of  the  Russian  embassy  at  Madrid.  Accident  had 
thrown  us  together  from  distant  regions  of  the  globe,  and 
a  similarity  of  taste  led  us  to  wander  together  among  the 
romantic  mountains  of  Andalusia.  Should  these  pages  meet 
his  eye,  wherever  thrown  by  the  duties  of  his  station,  whether 
mingling  in  the  pageantry  of  courts,  or  meditating  on  the 
truer  glories  of  nature,  may  they  recall  the  scenes  of  our 
adventurous  companionship,  and  with  them  the  recollection 
of  one,  in  whom  neither  time  nor  distance  will  obliterate  the 
remembrance  of  his  gentleness  and  worth. 

And  here,  before  setting  forth,  let  me  indulge  in  a  few 
previous  remarks  on  Spanish  scenery  and  Spanish  travelling. 

[3] 


,  •  ;  • .-.  •-.;.  •.   ;  ;T&E  'A-LHAMBRA 

Many  are  apt  to  picture  Spain  to  their  imaginations  as  a  soft, 
southern  region,  decked  out  with  luxuriant  charms  of  volup 
tuous  Italy.  On  the  contrary,  though  there  are  exceptions  in 
some  of  the  maritime  provinces,  yet,  for  the  greater  part,  it 
is  a  stern,  melancholy  country,  with  rugged  mountains,  and 
long  sweeping  plains,  destitute  of  trees,  and  indescribably 
silent  and  lonesome,  partaking  of  the  savage  and  solitary 
character  of  Africa.  What  adds  to  this  silence  and  loneli 
ness  is  the  absence  of  singing-birds,  a  natural  consequence  of 
the  want  of  groves  and  hedges.  The  vulture  and  the  eagle 
are  seen  wheeling  about  the  mountain  cliffs  and  soaring  over 
the  plains,  and  groups  of  shy  bustards  stalk  about  the  heaths  ; 
but  the  myriads  of  smaller  birds,  which  animate  the  whole 
face  of  other  countries,  are  met  with  in  but  few  provinces  in 
Spain,  and  in  those  chiefly  among  the  orchards  and  gardens 
which  surround  the  habitations  of  man. 

In  the  interior  provinces  the  traveller  occasionally  traverses 
great  tracts  cultivated  with  grain  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach, 
waving  at  times  with  verdure,  at  other  times  naked  and  sun 
burnt,  but  he  looks  round  in  vain  for  the  hand  that  has  tilled 
the  soil.  At  length  he  perceives  some  village  on  a  steep 
hill  or  rugged  crag,  with  mouldering  battlements  and  ruined 
watch-tower  —  a  stronghold,  in  old  times,  against  civil  war  or 
Moorish  inroad ;  for  the  custom  among  the  peasantry  of 
congregating  together  for  mutual  protection  is  still  kept  up 
in  most  parts  of  Spain,  in  consequence  of  the  maraudings 
of  roving  freebooters. 

But  though  a  great  part  of  Spain  is  deficient  in  the  garni 
ture  of  groves  and  forests,  and  the  softer  charms  of  orna 
mental  cultivation,  yet  its  scenery  is  noble  in  its  severity  and 
in  unison  with  the  attributes  of  its  people ;  and  I  think  that 

[4] 


THE   JOURNEY 

I  better  understand  the  proud,  hardy,  frugal,  and  abstemi 
ous  Spaniard,  his  manly  defiance  of  hardships  and  contempt 
of  effeminate  indulgences,  since  I  have  seen  the  country 
he  inhabits. 

There  is  something,  too,  in  the  sternly  simple  features  of 
the  Spanish  landscape,  that  impresses  on  the  soul  a  feeling 
of  sublimity.  The  immense  plains  of  the  Castiles  and  of  La 
Mancha,  extending  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  derive  an  in 
terest  from  their  very  nakedness  and  immensity,  and  possess, 
in  some  degree,  the  solemn  grandeur  of  the  ocean.  In  rang 
ing  over  these  boundless  wastes,  the  eye  catches  sight  here 
and  there  of  a  straggling  herd  of  cattle  attended  by  a  lonely 
herdsman,  motionless  as  a  statue,  with  his  long  slender  pike 
tapering  up  like  a  lance  into  the  air ;  or  beholds  a  long  train 
of  mules  slowly  moving  along  the  waste  like  a  train  of  camels 
in  the  desert ;  or  a  single  horseman,  armed  with  blunderbuss 
and  stiletto,  and  prowling  over  the  plain.  Thus  the  country, 
the  habits,  the  very  looks  of  the  people,  have  something  of 
the  Arabian  character.  The  general  insecurity  of  the  country 
is  evinced  in  the  universal  use  of  weapons.  The  herdsman 
in  the  field,  the  shepherd  in  the  plain,  has  his  musket  and 
his  knife.  The  wealthy  villager  rarely  ventures  to  the  market- 
town  without  his  trabuco,  and,  perhaps,  a  servant  on  foot  with 
a  blunderbuss  on  his  shoulder ;  and  the  most  petty  journey 
is  undertaken  with  the  preparation  of  a  warlike  enterprise. 

The  dangers  of  the  road  produce  also  a  mode  of  travelling 
resembling,  on  a  diminutive  scale,  the  caravans  of  the  East. 
The  arrieros,  or  carriers,  congregate  in  convoys,  and  set  off 
in  large  and  well-armed  trains  on  appointed  days  ;  while  ad 
ditional  travellers  swell  their  number,  and  contribute  to  their 
strength.  In  this  primitive  way  is  the  commerce  of  the 

[5] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

country  carried  on.  The  muleteer  is  the  general  medium  of 
traffic,  and  the  legitimate  traverser  of  the  land,  crossing  the 
peninsula  from  the  Pyrenees  even  to  the  gates  of  Gibraltar. 
He  lives  frugally  and  hardily  :  his  alforjas  of  coarse  cloth 
hold  his  scanty  stock  of  provisions ;  a  leathern  bottle,  hanging 
at  his  saddle-bow,  contains  wine  or  water  for  a  supply  across 
barren  mountains  and  thirsty  plains  ;  a  mule-cloth  spread 
upon  the  ground  is  his  bed  at  night,  and  his  pack-saddle  his 
pillow.  His  low  but  clean-limbed  and  sinewy  form  betokens 
strength  ;  his  complexion  is  dark  and  sunburnt ;  his  eye  res 
olute,  but  quiet  in  its  expression,  except  when  kindled  by 
sudden  emotion ;  his  demeanor  is  frank,  manly,  and  cour 
teous,  and  he  never  passes  you  without  a  grave  salutation  : 
"  Dios  gnarde  a  listed  !  "  Va  listed  con  Dios,  Caballero  !  " 
"  God  guard  you  !  "  "  God  be  with  you,  Cavalier  !  " 
As  these  men  have  often  their  whole  fortune  at  stake  upon 
the  burden  of  their  mules,  they  have  their  weapons  at  hand, 
slung  to  their  saddles,  and  ready  to  be  snatched  out  for  des 
perate  defence  ;  but  their  united  numbers  render  them  secure 
against  petty  bands  of  marauders,  and  the  solitary  bandolero, 
armed  to  the  teeth,  and  mounted  on  his  Andalusian  steed, 
hovers  about  them,  like  a  pirate  about  a  merchant  convoy, 
without  daring  to  assault. 

The  Spanish  muleteer  has  an  inexhaustible  stock  of  songs 
and  ballads,  with  which  to  beguile  his  incessant  wayfaring. 
The  airs  are  rude  and  simple,  consisting  of  but  few  inflections. 
These  he  chants  forth  with  a  loud  voice,  and  long,  drawling 
cadence,  seated  sideways  on  his  mule,  who  seems  to  listen 
with  infinite  gravity,  and  to  keep  time  with  his  paces  to  the 
tune.  The  couplets  thus  chanted  are  often  old  traditional 
romances  about  the  Moors,  or  some  legend  of  a  saint,  or 

[6] 


THE   JOURNEY 

some  love  ditty  ;  or,  what  is  still  more  frequent,  some  ballad 
about  a  bold  contrabandista,  or  hardy  bandolero,  for  the 
smuggler  and  the  robber  are  poetical  heroes  among  the  com 
mon  people  of  Spain.  Often,  the  song  of  the  muleteer  is 
composed  at  the  instant,  and  relates  to  some  local  scene,  or 
some  incident  of  the  journey.  This  talent  of  singing  and 
improvising  is  frequent  in  Spain,  and  is  said  to  have  been 
inherited  from  the  Moors.  There  is  something  wildly  pleasing 
in  listening  to  these  ditties  among  the  rude  and  lonely  scenes 
they  illustrate,  accompanied  as  they  are  by  the  occasional 
jingle  of  the  mule-bell. 

It  has  a  most  picturesque  effect  also  to  meet  a  train  of 
muleteers  in  some  mountain  pass.    First  you  hear  the  bells 
of  the  leading  mules,  breaking  with  their  simple  melody  the 
stillness  of  the  airy  height ;  or,  perhaps,  the  voice  of  the 
muleteer  admonishing  some  tardy,  or  wandering  animal,  or 
chanting,  at  the  full  stretch  of  his  lungs,  some  traditionary 
ballad.    At  length  you  see  the  mules  slowly  winding  along 
the  cragged  defile,  sometimes  descending  precipitous  cliffs, 
so  as  to  present  themselves  in  full  relief  against  the  sky, 
sometimes  toiling  up  the  deep  arid  chasms  below  you.    As 
they  approach,  you  descry  their  gay  decorations  of  worsted 
stuffs,  tassels,  and  saddle-cloths,  while,  as  they  pass  by,  the 
ever  ready  trabuco,   slung  behind  the  packs  and  saddles, 
gives  a  hint  of  the  insecurity  of  the  road. 
D  The  ancient  kingdom  of  Granada,  into  which  we  were 
about  to  penetrate,  is  one  of  the  most  mountainous  regions 
of  Spain.    Vast  sierras,  or  chains  of  mountains,  destitute  of 
shrub  or  tree,   and    mottled  with   variegated   marbles   and 
granites,  elevate  their  sunburnt  summits  against  a  deep-blue 
sky  ;  yet  in  their  rugged  bosoms  lie  engulfed  verdant  and 

[7] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

fertile  valleys,  where  the  desert  and  the  garden  strive  for 
mastery,  and  the  very  rock  is,  as  it  were,  compelled  to  yield 
the  fig,  the  orange,  and  the  citron,  and  to  blossom  with  the 
myrtle  and  the  rose. 

In  the  wild  passes  of  these  mountains  the  sight  of  walled 
towns  and  villages,  built  like  eagles'  nests  among  the  cliffs, 
and  surrounded  by  Moorish  battlements,  or  of  ruined  watch- 
towers  perched  on  lofty  peaks,  carries  the  mind  back  to  the 
chivalric  days  of  Christian  and  Moslem  warfare,  and  to  the 
romantic  struggle  for  the  conquest  of  Granada.  In  traversing 
these  lofty  sierras  the  traveller  is  often  obliged  to  alight,  and 
lead  his  horse  up  and  down  the  steep  and  jagged  ascents'and 
descents,  resembling  the  broken  steps  of  a  staircase.  Some 
times  the  road  winds  along  dizzy  precipices,  without  parapet 
to  guard  him  from  the  gulfs  below,  and  then  will  plunge 
down  steep  and  dark  and  dangerous  declivities.  Sometimes 
it  struggles  through  rugged  barrancas,  or  ravines,  worn  by 
winter  torrents,  the  obscure  path  of  the  contrabandista ; 
while,  ever  and  anon,  the  ominous  cross,  the  monument  of 
robbery  and  murder,  erected  on  a  mound  of  stones  at  some 
lonely  part  of  the  road,  admonishes  the  traveller  that  he  is 
among  the  haunts  of  banditti,  perhaps  at  that  very  moment 
under  the  eye  of  some  lurking  bandolero.  Sometimes,  in 
winding  through  the  narrow  valleys,  he  is  startled  by  a  hoarse 
bellowing,  and  beholds  above  him  on  some  green  fold  of  the 
mountain  a  herd  of  fierce  Andalusian  bulls,  destined  for  the 
combat  of  the  arena.  I  have  felt,  if  I  may  so  express  it,  an 
agreeable  horror  in  thus  contemplating,  near  at  hand,  these 
terrific  animals,  clothed  with  tremendous  strength,  and  rang 
ing  their  native  pastures  in  untamed  wildness,  strangers 
almost  to  the  face  of  man  :  they  know  no  one  but  the  solitary 

rsi 


THE    JOURNEY 

herdsman  who  attends  upon  them,  and  even  he  at  times 
dares  not' venture  to  approach  them.  The  low  bellowing  of 
these  bulls,  and  their  menacing  aspect  as  they  look  down 
from  their  rocky  height,  give  additional  wildness  to  the 
savage  scenery. 

I  have  been  betrayed  unconsciously  into  a  longer  disquisi 
tion  than  I  intended  on  the  general  features  of  Spanish 
travelling ;  but  there  is  a  romance  about  all  the  recollections 
of  the  Peninsula  dear  to  the  imagination. 

As  our  proposed  route  to  Granada  lay  through  mountainous 
regions,  where  the  roads  are  little  better  than  mule-paths, 
and  said  to  be  frequently  beset  by  robbers,  we  took  due 
travelling  precautions.  Forwarding  the  most  valuable  part  of 
our  luggage  a  day  or  two  in  advance  by  the  arrieros,  we 
retained  merely  clothing  and  necessaries  for  the  journey  and 
money  for  the  expenses  of  the  road  ;  with  a  little  surplus 
of  hard  dollars  by  way  of  robber  purse,  to  satisfy  the  gentle 
men  of  the  road  should  we  be  assailed.  Unlucky  is  the  too 
wary  traveller  who,  having  grudged  this  precaution,  falls  into 
their  clutches  empty-handed  ;  they  are  apt  to  give  him  a 
sound  rib-roasting  for  cheating  them  out  of  their  dues. 
"  Caballeros  like  them  cannot  afford  to  scour  the  roads  and 
risk  the  gallows  for  nothing." 

A  couple  of  stout  steeds  were  provided  for  our  own  mount 
ing,  and  a  third  for  our  scanty  luggage  and  the  conveyance 
of  a  sturdy  Biscayan  lad,  about  twenty  years  of  age,  who  was 
to  be  our  guide,  our  groom,  our  valet,  and  at  all  times  our 
guard.  For  the  latter  office  he  was  provided  with  a  formida 
ble  trabuco  or  carbine,  with  which  he  promised  to  defend  us 
against  rateros  or  solitary  footpads ;  but  as  to  powerful  bands, 
like  that  of  the  "  Sons  of  Ecija,"  he  confessed  they  were 

[9] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

quite  beyond  his  prowess.  He  made  much  vainglorious  boast 
about  his  weapon  at  the  outset  of  the  journey ;  though,  to 
the  discredit  of  his  generalship,  it  was  suffered  to  hang  un 
loaded  behind  his  saddle. 

According  to  our  stipulations,  the  man  from  whom  we 
hired  the  horses  was  to  be  at  the  expense  of  their  feed  and 
stabling  on  the  journey,  as  well  as  of  the  maintenance  of 
our  Biscayan  squire,  who  of  course  was  provided  with  funds 
for  the  purpose ;  we  took  care,  however,  to  give  the  latter  a 
private  hint,  that,  though  we  made  a  close  bargain  with  his 
master,  it  was  all  in  his  favor,  as,  if  he  proved  a  good  man 
and  true,  both  he  and  the  horses  should  live  at  our  cost,  and 
the  money  provided  for  their  maintenance  remain  in  his 
pocket.  This  unexpected  largess,  with  the  occasional  pres 
ent  of  a  cigar,  won  his  heart  completely.  He  was,  in  truth, 
a  faithful,  cheery,  kind-hearted  creature,  as  full  of  saws  and 
proverbs  as  that  miracle  of  squires,  the  renowned  Sancho 
himself,  whose  name,  by  the  by,  we  bestowed  upon  him,  and, 
like  a  true  Spaniard,  though  treated  by  us  with  companion 
able  familiarity,  he  never  for  a  moment,  in  his  utmost  hilarity, 
overstepped  the  bounds  of  respectful  decorum. 

Such  were  our  minor  preparations  for  the  journey,  but 
above  all  we  laid  in  an  ample  stock  of  good  humor,  and  a 
genuine  disposition  to  be  pleased ;  determining  to  travel  in 
true  contrabandista  style;  taking  things  as  we  found  them, 
rough  or  smooth,  and  mingling  with  all  classes  and  conditions 
in  a  kind  of  vagabond  companionship.  It  is  the  true  way  to 
travel  in  Spain.  With  such  disposition  and  determination, 
what  a  country  is  it  for  a  traveller,  where,  the  most  miserable 
inn  is  as  full  of  adventure  as  an  enchanted  castle,  and  every 
meal  is  in  itself  an  achievement !  Let  others  repine  at  the 

[10] 


THE   JOURNEY 

lack  of  turnpike  roads  and  sumptuous  hotels,  and  all  the 
elaborate  comforts  of  a  country  cultivated  and  civilized  into 
tameness  and  commonplace ;  but  give  me  the  rude  mountain 
scramble  ;  the  roving,  hap-hazard,  wayfaring ;  the  half  wild 
yet  frank  and  hospitable  manners,  which  impart  such  a  true 
game-flavor  to  dear  old  romantic  Spain  ! 

Thus  equipped  and  attended,  we  cantered  out  of  "  Fair 
Seville  city  "  at  half -past  six  in  the  morning  of  a  bright  May 
day,  in  company  with  a  lady  and  gentleman  of  our  acquaint 
ance,  who  rode  a  few  miles  with  us,  in  the  Spanish  mode  of 
taking  leave.  Our  route  lay  through  old  Alcala  de  Guadaira 
(Alcala  on  the  river  Aira),  the  benefactress  of  Seville,  that 
supplies  it  with  bread  and  water.  Here  live  the  bakers  who 
furnish  Seville  with  that  delicious  bread  for  which  it  is  re 
nowned  ;  here  are  fabricated  those  roscas  well  known  by  the 
well-merited  appellation  of  pan  de  Dios  (bread  of  God)  ;  with 
which,  by  the  way,  we  ordered  our  man,  Sancho,  to  stock  his 
alforjas  for  the  journey.  Well  has  this  beneficent  little  city 
been  denominated  the  "  Oven  of  Seville  "  ;  well  has  it  been 
called  Alcala  de  los  Panaderos  (Alcala  of  the  Bakers),  for  a 
great  part  of  its  inhabitants  are  of  that  handicraft,  and  the 
highway  hence  to  Seville  is  constantly  traversed  by  lines  of 
mules  and  donkeys  laden  with  great  panniers  of  loaves 
and  roscas. 

I  have  said  Alcala  supplies  Seville  with  water.  Here  are 
great  tanks  or  reservoirs,  of  Roman  and  Moorish  construc 
tion,  whence  water  is  conveyed  to  Seville  by  noble  aque 
ducts.  The  springs  of  Alcala  are  almost  as  much  vaunted 
as  its  ovens ;  and  to  the  lightness,  sweetness,  and  purity 
of  its  water  is  attributed  in  some  measure  the  delicacy  of 
its  bread. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Here  we  halted  for  a  time,  at  the  ruins  of  the  old  Moorish 
castle,  a  favorite  resort  for  picnic  parties  from  Seville,  where 
we  had  passed  many  a  pleasant  hour.  The  walls  are  of  great 
extent,  pierced  with  loopholes ;  enclosing  a  huge  square  tower 
or  keep,  with  the  remains  of  masmoras,  or  subterranean  grana 
ries.  The  Guadaira  winds  its  stream  round  the  hill,  at  the 
foot  of  these  ruins,  whimpering  among  reeds,  rushes,  and 
pond-lilies,  and  overhung  with  rhododendron,  eglantine,  yel 
low  myrtle,  and  a  profusion  of  wild  flowers  and  aromatic 
shrubs  ;  while  along  its  banks  are  groves  of  oranges,  citrons, 
and  pomegranates,  among  which  we  heard  the  early  note  of 
the  nightingale. 

A  picturesque  bridge  was  thrown  across  the  little  river,  at 
one  end  of  which  was  the  ancient  Moorish  mill  of  the  castle, 
defended  by  a  tower  of  yellow  stone ;  a  fisherman's  net  hung 
against  the  wall  to  dry,  and  hard  by  in  the  river  was  his  boat ; 
a  group  of  peasant  women  in  bright-colored  dresses,  crossing 
the  arched  bridge,  were  reflected  in  the  placid  stream.  Alto 
gether  it  was  an  admirable  scene  for  a  landscape-painter. 

The  old  Moorish  mills,  so  often  found  on  secluded  streams, 
are  characteristic  objects  in  Spanish  landscape,  and  suggestive 
of  the  perilous  times  of  old.  They  are  of  stone,  and  often  in 
the  form  of  towers,  with  loopholes  and  battlements,  capable 
of  defence  in  those  warlike  days  when  the  country  on  both 
sides  of  the  border  was  subject  to  sudden  inroad  and  hasty 
ravage,  and  v/hen  men  had  to  labor  with  their  weapons  at 
hand,  and  some  place  of  temporary  refuge. 

Our  next  halting-place  was  at  Gandul,  where  were  the 
remains  of  another  Moorish  castle,  with  its  ruined  tower,  a 
nestling-place  for  storks,  and  commanding  a  view  over  a  vast 
campina,  or  fertile  plain,  with  the  mountains  of  Ronda  in 

[12] 


THE    JOURNEY 

the  distance.  These  castles  were  strongholds  to  protect  the 
plains  from  the  talas  or  forays  to  which  they  were  subject, 
when  the  fields  of  corn  would  be  laid  waste,  the  flocks  and 
herds  swept  from  the  vast  pastures,  and,  together  with 
captive  peasantry,  hurried  off  in  long  cavalgadas  across  the 
borders. 

At  Gandul  we  found  a  tolerable  posada  ;  the  good  folks 
could  not  tell  us  what  time  of  day  it  was,  the  clock  only  struck 
once  in  the  day,  two  hours  after  noon  ;  until  that  time  it  was 
guess-work.  We  guessed  it  was  full  time  to  eat ;  so,  alight 
ing,  we  ordered  a  repast.  While  that  was  in  preparation,  we 
visited  the  palace,  once  the  residence  of  the  Marquis  of  Gan 
dul.  All  was  gone  to  decay ;  there  were  but  two  or  three 
rooms  habitable,  and  very  poorly  furnished.  Yet  here  were 
the  remains  of  grandeur :  a  terrace,  where  fair  dames  and 
gentle  cavaliers  may  once  have  walked  ;  a  fish  pond  and 
ruined  garden,  with  grape-vines  and  date-bearing  palm  trees. 
Here  we  were  joined  by  a  fat  curate,  who  gathered  a  bouquet 
of  roses,  and  presented  it,  very  gallantly,  to  the  lady  who 
accompanied  us. 

Below  the  palace  was  the  mill,  with  orange  trees  and  aloes 
in  front,  and  a  pretty  stream  of  pure  water.  We  took  a  seat 
in  the  shade,  and  the  millers,  all  leaving  their  work,  sat  down 
and  smoked  with  us,  for  the  Andalusians  are  always  ready 
for  a  gossip.  They  were  waiting  for  the  regular  visit  of  the 
barber,  who  came  once  a  week  to  put  all  their  chins  in  order. 
He  arrived  shortly  afterwards  :  a  lad  of  seventeen,  mounted 
on  a  donkey,  eager  to  display  his  new  alforjas,  or  saddle 
bags,  just  bought  at  a  fair ;  price  one  dollar,  to  be  paid  on 
St.  John's  day  (in  June),  by  which  time  he  trusted  to  have 
mown  beards  enough  to  put  him  in  funds. 

[-3] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

By  the  time  the  laconic  clock  of  the  castle  had  struck  two 
we  had  finished  our  dinner.  So,  taking  leave  of  our  Seville 
friends,  and  leaving  the  millers  still  under  the  hands  of  the 
barber,  we  set  off  on  our  ride  across  the  campina.  It  was 
one  of  those  vast  plains,  common  in  Spain,  where  for  miles 
and  miles  there  is  neither  house  nor  tree.  Unlucky  the  trav 
eller  who  has  to  traverse  it,  exposed  as  we  were  to  heavy  and 
repeated  showers  of  rain.  There  is  no  escape  nor  shelter. 
Our  only  protection  was  our  Spanish  cloaks,  which  nearly 
covered  man  and  horse,  but  grew  heavier  every  mile.  By  the 
time  we  had  lived  through  one  shower  we  would  see  another 
slowly  but  inevitably  approaching  ;  fortunately,  in  the  interval 
there  would  be  an  outbreak  of  bright,  warm,  Andalusian  sun 
shine,  which  would  make  our  cloaks  send  up  wreaths  of  steam, 
but  which  partially  dried  them  before  the  next  drenching. 

Shortly  after  sunset  we  arrived  at  Arahal,  a  little  town 
among  the  hills.  We  found  it  in  a  bustle  with  a  party  of 
miquelets,  who  were  patrolling,  the  country  to  ferret  out  rob 
bers.  The  appearance  of  foreigners  like  ourselves  was  an 
unusual  circumstance  in  an  interior  country  town,  and  little 
Spanish  towns  of  the  kind  are  easily  put  in  a  state  of  gossip 
and  wonderment  by  such  an  occurrence.  Mine  host,  with 
two  or  three  old  wiseacre  comrades  in  brown  cloaks,  studied 
our  passports  in  a  corner  of  the  posada,  while  an  Alguazil 
took  notes  by  the  dim  light  of  a  lamp.  The  passports  were 
in  foreign  languages  and  perplexed  them,  but  our  Squire 
Sancho  assisted  them  in  their  studies,  and  magnified  our 
importance  with  the  grandiloquence  of  a  Spaniard.  In  the 
meantime  the  magnificent  distribution  of  a  few  cigars  had 
won  the  hearts  of  all  around  us  ;  in  a  little  while  the  whole 
community  seemed  put  in  agitation  to  make  us  welcome. 


THE    JOURNEY 

The  corregidor  himself  waited  upon  us,  and  a  great  rush- 
bottomed  arm  chair  was  ostentatiously  bolstered  into  our  room 
by  our  landlady,  for  the  accommodation  of  that  important 
personage.  The  commander  of  the  patrol  took  supper  with 
us  :  a  lively,  talking,  laughing  Andaluz,  who  had  made  a 
campaign  in  South  America,  and  recounted  his  exploits  in 
love  and  war  with  much  pomp  of  phrase,  vehemence  of  ges 
ticulation,  and  mysterious  rolling  of  the  eye.  He  told  us  that 
he  had  a  list  of  all  the  robbers  in  the  country,  and  meant  to 
ferret  out  every  mother's  son  of  them ;  he  offered  us  at  the 
same  time  some  of  his  soldiers  as  an  escort.  "  One  is  enough 
to  protect  you,  senors  ;  the  robbers  know  me,  and  know  my 
men  ;  the  sight  of  one  is  enough  to  spread  terror  through  a 
whole  sierra."  We  thanked  him  for  his  offer,  but  assured  him, 
in  his  own  strain,  that  with  the  protection  of  our  redoubtable 
Squire  Sancho  we  were  not  afraid  of  all  the  ladrones  of 
Andalusia. 

While  we  were  supping  with  our  drawcansir  friend,  we 
heard  the  notes  of  a  guitar  and  the  click  of  castanets,  and 
presently  a  chorus  of  voices  singing  a  popular  air.  In  fact, 
mine  host  had  gathered  together  the  amateur  singers  and 
musicians,  and  the  rustic  belles  of  the  neighborhood,  and,  on 
going  forth,  the  courtyard  or  patio  of  the  inn  presented  a 
scene  of  true  Spanish  festivity.  We  took  our  seats  with  mine 
host  and  hostess  and  the  commander  of  the  patrol,  under  an 
archway  opening  into  the  court ;  the  guitar  passed  from  hand 
to  hand,  but  a  jovial  shoemaker  was  the  Orpheus  of  the  place. 
He  was  a  pleasant-looking  fellow,  with  huge  black  whiskers  ; 
his  sleeves  were  rolled  up  to  his  elbows.  He  touched  the 
guitar  with  masterly  skill,  and  afterwards  danced  a  fandango 
with  a  buxom  Andalusian  damsel,  to  the  great  delight  of  the 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

spectators.  But  none  of  the  females  present  could  compare 
with  mine  host's  pretty  daughter,  Pepita,  who  had  slipped 
away  and  made  her  toilette  for  the  occasion,  and  had  covered 
her  head  with  roses ;  and  who  distinguished  herself  in  a  bolero 
with  a  handsome  young  dragoon.  We  ordered  our  host  to 
let  wine  and  refreshment  circulate  freely  among  the  company, 
yet,  though  there  was  a  motley  assembly  of  soldiers,  mule 
teers,  and  villagers,  no  one  exceeded  the  bounds  of  sober 
enjoyment.  The  scene  was  a  study  for  a  painter  —  the  pic 
turesque  group  of  dancers,  the  troopers  in  their  half-military 
dresses,  the  peasantry  wrapped  in  their  brown  cloaks  ;  nor 
must  I  omit  to  mention  the  old  meagre  Alguazil,  in  a  short 
black  cloak,  who  took  no  notice  of  anything  going  on,  but 
sat  in  a  corner  diligently  writing  by  the  dim  light  of  a  huge 
copper  lamp,  that  might  have  figured  in  the  days  of  Don 
Quixote. 

The  following  morning  was  bright  and  balmy,  as  a  May 
morning  ought  to  be,  according  to  the  poets.  Leaving  Arahal 
at  seven  o'clock,  with  all  thtposada  at  the  door  to  cheer  us 
off,  we  pursued  our  way  through  a  fertile  country,  covered 
with  grain  and  beautifully  verdant ;  but  which  in  summer, 
when  the  harvest  is  over  and  the  fields  parched  and  brown, 
must  be  monotonous  and  lonely  ;  for,  as  in  our  ride  of  yester 
day,  there  were  neither  houses  nor  people  to  be  seen.  The 
latter  all  congregate  in  villages  and  strongholds  among  the 
hills,  as  if  these  fertile  plains  were  still  subject  to  the  ravages 
of  the  Moor. 

At  noon  we  came  to  where  there  was  a  group  of  trees, 
beside  a  brook  in  a  rich  meadow.  Here  we  alighted  to  make 
our  mid-day  meal.  It  was  really  a  luxurious  spot,  among  wild 
flowers  and  aromatic  herbs,  with  birds  singing  around  us. 

[16] 


THE   WINE   GATE-ALHAMBRA 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Knowing  the  scanty  larders  of  Spanish  inns  and  the  house 
less  tracts  we  might  have  to  traverse,  we  had  taken  care  to 
have  the  alforjas  of  our  squire  well  stocked  with  cold  pro 
visions,  and  his  bota,  or  leathern  bottle,  which  might  hold  a 
gallon,  filled  to  the  neck  with  choice  Valdepenas  wine.  As 
we  depended  more  upon  these  for  our  well-being  than  even 
his  trabuco,  we  exhorted  him  to  be  more  attentive  in  keeping 
them  well  charged  ;  and  I  must  do  him  the  justice  to  say  that 
his  namesake,  the  trencher-loving  Sancho  Panza,  was  never  a 
more  provident  purveyor.  Though  the  alforjas  and  the  bota 
were  frequently  and  vigorously  assailed  throughout  the  jour 
ney,  they  had  a  wonderful  power  of  repletion,  our  vigilant 
squire  sacking  everything  that  remained  from  our  repasts  at 
the  inns  to  supply  these  junketings  by  the  roadside,  which 
were  his  delight. 

On  the  present  occasion  he  spread  quite  a  sumptuous 
variety  of  remnants  on  the  greensward  before  us,  graced  with 
an  excellent  ham  brought  from  Seville  ;  then,  taking  his  seat 
at  little  distance,  he  solaced  himself  with  what  remained  in 
the  alforjas.  A  visit  or  two  to  the  bota  made  him  as  merry 
and  chirruping  as  a  grasshopper  filled  with  dew.  On  my  com 
paring  his  contents  of  the  alforjas  to  Sancho's  skimming  of 
the  flesh-pots  at  the  wedding  of  Cammacho,  I  found  he  was 
well  versed  in  the  history  of  Don  Quixote,  but,  like  many  of 
the  common  people  of  Spain,  firmly  believed  it  to  be  a  true 
history. 

"  All  that  happened  a  long  time  ago,  senor,"  said  he,  with 
an  inquiring  look. 

"  A  very  long  time,"  I  replied. 

"  I  dare  say  more  than  a  thousand  years,"  —still  looking 
dubiously. 

[18] 


THE   JOURNEY 

"  I  dare  say  not  less." 

The  squire  was  satisfied.  Nothing  pleased  the  simple- 
hearted  varlet  more  than  my  comparing  him  to  the  renowned 
Sancho  for  devotion  to  the  trencher ;  and  he  called  himself 
by  no  other  name  throughout  the  journey. 

Our  repast  being  finished,  we  spread  our  cloaks  on  the 
greensward  under  the  tree,  and  took  a  luxurious  siesta,  in  the 
Spanish  fashion.  The  clouding  up  of  the  weather,  however, 
warned  us  to  depart,  and  a  harsh  wind  sprang  up  from  the 
southeast.  Towards  five  o'clock  we  arrived  at  Osuna,  a  town 
of  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants,  situated  on  the  side  of  a  hill, 
with  a  church  and  a  ruined  castle.  The  posada  was  outside 
of  the  walls ;  it  had  a  cheerless  look.  The  evening  being 
cold,  the  inhabitants  were  crowded  round  a  brasero  in  a 
chimney-corner ;  and  the  hostess  was  a  dry  old  woman,  who 
looked  like  a  mummy.  Every  one  eyed  us  askance  as  we 
entered,  as  Spaniards  are  apt  to  regard  strangers ;  a  cheery, 
respectful  salutation  on  our  part,  caballeroing  them  and  touch 
ing  our  sombreros,  set  Spanish  pride  at  ease ;  and  when  we 
took  our  seat  among  them,  lit  our  cigars,  and  passed  the 
cigar-box  round  among  them,  our  victory  was  complete.  I 
have  never  known  a  Spaniard,  whatever  his  rank  or  condition, 
who  would  suffer  himself  to  be  outdone  in  courtesy ;  and  to 
the  common  Spaniard  the  present  of  a  cigar  (puro)  is  irre 
sistible.  Care,  however,  must  be  taken  never  to  offer  him  a 
present  with  an  air  of  superiority  and  condescension ;  he  is  too 
much  of  a  caballero  to  receive  favors  at  the  cost  of  his  dignity. 

Leaving  Osuna  at  an  early  hour  the  next  morning,  we 
entered  the  sierra,  or  range  of  mountains.  The  road  wound 
through  picturesque  scenery,  but  lonely ;  and  a  cross  here 
and  there  by  the  roadside,  the  sign  of  a  murder,  showed  that 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

we  were  now  coming  among  the  "  robber  haunts."  This  wild 
and  intricate  country,  with  its  silent  plains  and  valleys  inter 
sected  by  mountains,  has  ever  been  famous  for  banditti.  It 
was  here  that  Omar  Ibn  Hassan,  a  robber-chief  among  the 
Moslems,  held  ruthless  sway  in  the  ninth  century,  disputing 
dominion  even  with  the  caliphs  of  Cordova.  This,  too,  was 
a  part  of  the  regions  so  often  ravaged  during  the  reign  of 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella  by  Ali  Atar,  the  old  Moorish  alcayde 
of  Loxa,  father-in-law  of  Boabdil,  so  that  it  was  called  Ali 
Atar's  garden,  and  here  "Jose  Maria,"  famous  in  Spanish 
brigand  story,  had  his  favorite  lurking-places. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  we  passed  through  Fuente  la 
Piedra,  near  a  little  salt  lake  of  the  same  name,  a  beautiful 
sheet  of  water,  reflecting  like  a  mirror  the  distant  mountains. 
We  now  came  in  sight  of  Antiquera,  that  old  city  of  warlike 
reputation,  lying  in  the  lap  of  the  great  sierra  which  runs 
through  Andalusia.  A  noble  vega  spread  out  before  it,  a 
picture  of  mild  fertility  set  in  a  frame  of  rocky  mountains. 
Crossing  a  gentle  river,  we  approached  the  city  between 
hedges  and  gardens,  in  which  nightingales  were  pouring 
forth  their  evening  song.  About  nightfall  we  arrived  at  the 
gates.  Everything  in  this  venerable  city  has  a  decidedly  Span 
ish  stamp.  It  lies  too  much  out  of  the  frequented  track  of 
foreign  travel  to  have  its  old  usages  trampled  out.  Here  I 
observed  old  men  still  wearing  the  montero,  or  ancient  hunt 
ing-cap,  once  common  throughout  Spain  ;  while  the  young 
men  wore  the  little  round-crowned  hat,  with  brim  turned 
"up  all  round,  like  a  cup  turned  down  in  its  saucer ;  while 
the  brim  was  set  off  with  little  black  tufts  like  cockades. 
The  women,  too,  were  all  in  mantillas  and  basquinas.  The 
fashions  of  Paris  had  not  reached  Antiquera. 

[**] 


THE   JOURNEY 

Pursuing  our  course  through  a  spacious  street,  we  put  up 
at  the  posada  of  San  Fernando.  As  Antiquera,  though  a 
considerable  city,  is,  as  I  observed,  somewhat  out  of  the  track 
of  travel,  I  had  anticipated  bad  quarters  and  poor  fare  at  the 
inn.  I  was  agreeably  disappointed,  therefore,  by  a  supper 
table  amply  supplied,  and  what  were  still  more  acceptable, 
good  clean  rooms  and  comfortable  beds.  Our  man  Sancho 
felt  himself  as  well  off  as  his  namesake  when  he  had  the  run 
of  the  duke's  kitchen,  and  let  me  know,  as  I  retired  for  the 
night,  that  it  had  been  a  proud  time  for  the  alforjas. 

Early  in  the  morning  (May  4th)  I  strolled  to  the  ruins  of 
the  old  Moorish  castle,  which  itself  had  been  reared  on  the 
ruins  of  a  Roman  fortress.  Here,  taking  my  seat  on  the  re 
mains  of  a  crumbling  tower,  I  enjoyed  a  grand  and  varied 
landscape,  beautiful  in  itself,  and  full  of  storied  and  romantic 
association  ;  for  I  was  now  in  the  very  heart  of  the  country 
famous  for  the  chivalrous  contests  between  Moor  and  Chris 
tian.  Below  me,  in  its  lap  of  hills,  lay  the  old  warrior  city  so 
often  mentioned  in  chronicle  and  ballad.  Out  of  yon  gate 
and  down  yon  hill  paraded  the  band  of  Spanish  cavaliers,  of 
highest  rank  and  bravest  bearing,  to  make  that  foray  during 
the  war  and  conquest  of  Granada,  which  ended  in  the  lament 
able  massacre  among  the  mountains  of  Malaga,  and  laid  all 
Andalusia  in  mourning.  Beyond  spread  out  the  vega,  cov 
ered  with  gardens  and  orchards  and  fields  of  grain  and 
enamelled  meadows,  inferior  only  to  the  famous  vega  of 
Granada.  To  the  right  the  Rock  of  the  Lovers  stretched 
like  a  cragged  promontory  into  the  plain,  whence  the  daughter 
of  the  Moorish  alcayde  and  her  lover,  when  closely  pursued, 
threw  themselves  in  despair. 

The  matin  peal  from  church  and  convent  below  me  rang 

[2.] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

sweetly  in  the  morning  air  as  I  descended.  The  market-place 
was  beginning  to  throng  with  the  populace,  who  traffic  in  the 
abundant  produce  of  the  vega ;  for  this  is  the  mart  of  an 
agricultural  region.  In  the  market-place  were  abundance  of 
freshly-plucked  roses  for  sale  ;  for  not  a  dame  or  damsel  of 
Andalusia  thinks  her  gala  dress  complete  without  a  rose 
shining  like  a  gem  among  her  raven  tresses. 

On  returning  to  the  inn  I  found  our  man  Sancho  in  high 
gossip  with  the  landlord  and  two  or  three  of  his  hangers-on. 
He  had  just  been  telling  some  marvellous  story  about  Seville, 
which  mine  host  seemed  piqued  to  match  with  one  equally 
marvellous  about  Antiquera.  There  was  once  a  fountain,  he 
said,  in  one  of  the  public  squares  called  El  Fuente  del  Toro 
(the  Fountain  of  the  Bull),  because  the  water  gushed  from 
the  mouth  of  a  bull's  head,  carved  of  stone.  Underneath  the 

head  was  inscribed  : 

En  frente  del  toro 
Se  hallen  tesoro. 

(In  front  of  the  bull  there  is  treasure.)  Many  digged  in  front 
of  the  fountain,  but  lost  their  labor  and  found  no  money.  At 
last  one  knowing  fellow  construed  the  motto  in  a  different 
way.  It  is  in  the  forehead  (frente]  of  the  bull  that  the  treas 
ure  is  to  be  found,  said  he  to  himself,  and  I  am  the  man  to 
find  it.  Accordingly  he  came,  late  at  night,  with  a  mallet,  and 
knocked  the  head  to  pieces ;  and  what  do  you  think  he  found  ? 

"  Plenty  of  gold  and  diamonds  !  "   cried  Sancho,  eagerly. 

"  He  found  nothing,"  rejoined  mine  host,  dryly,  "and  he 
ruined  the  fountain." 

Here  a  great  laugh  was  set  up  by  the  landlord's  hangers- 
on  ;  who  considered  Sancho  completely  taken  in  by  what  I 
presume  was  one  of  mine  host's  standing  jokes. 

[22] 


THE   JOURNEY 

Leaving  Antiquera  at  eight  o'clock,  we  had  a  delightful 
ride  along  the  little  river,  and  by  gardens  and  orchards  fra 
grant  with  the  odors  of  spring  and  vocal  with  the  nightingale. 
Our  road  passed  round  the  Rock  of  the  "Lovers  (El  Penon 
de  los  Enamorados),  which  rose  in  a  precipice  above  us.  In 
the  course  of  the  morning  we  passed  through  Archidona,  sit 
uated  in  the  breast  of  a  high  hill,  with  a  three-pointed  moun 
tain  towering  above  it,  and  the  ruins  of  a  Moorish  fortress. 
It  was  a  great  toil  to  ascend  a  steep  stony  street  leading  up 
into  the  city,  although  it  bore  the  encouraging  name  of  Calle 
Real  del  Llano  (the  Royal  Street  of  the  Plain),  but  it  was 
still  a  greater  toil  to  descend  from  this  mountain  city  on  the 
other  side. 

At  noon. we  halted  in  sight  of  Archidona,  in  a  pleasant 
little  meadow  among  hills  covered  with  olive  trees.  •  Our 
cloaks  were  spread  on  the  grass,  under  an  elm  by  the  side 
of  a  bubbling  rivulet ;  our  horses  were  tethered  where  they 
might  crop  the  herbage,  and  Sancho  was  told  to  produce  his 
alforjas.  He  had  been  unusually  silent  this  morning  ever 
since  the  laugh  raised  at  his  expense,  but  now  his  counte 
nance  brightened,  and  he  produced  his  alforjas  with  an  air 
of  triumph.  They  contained  the  contributions  of  four  days' 
journeying,  but  had  been  signally  enriched  by  the  foraging 
of  the  previous  evening  in  the  plenteous  inn  at  Antiquera ; 
and  this  seemed  to  furnish  him  with  a  set-off  to  the  banter 

of  mine  host. 

En  frente  del  toro 
Se  hallen  tesoro 

would  he  exclaim,  with  a  chuckling  laugh,  as  he  drew  forth 
the  heterogeneous  contents  one  by  one,  in  a  series  which 
seemed  to  have  no  end.  First  came  forth  a  shoulder  of 

[23] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

roasted  kid,  very  little  the  worse  for  wear;  then  an  entire 
partridge ;  then  a  great  morsel  of  salted  codfish  wrapped  in 
paper ;  then  the  residue  of  a  ham  ;  then  the  half  of  a  pullet, 
together  with  several  rolls  of  bread,  and  a  rabble  rout  of 
oranges,  figs,  raisins,  and  walnuts.  His  bota  also  had  been 
recruited  with  some  excellent  wine  of  Malaga.  At  every 
fresh  apparition  from  his  larder,  he  would  enjoy  our  ludicrous 
surprise,  throwing  himself  back  on  the  grass,  shouting  with 
laughter,  and  exclaiming,  "  Frente  del  toro  !  f rente  del  toro  / 
Ah,  senors,  they  thought  Sancho  a  simpleton  at  Antiquera ; 
but  Sancho  knew  where  to  find  the  tesoro" 

While  we  were  diverting  ourselves  with  his  simple  drollery, 
a  solitary  beggar  approached,  who  had  almost  the  look  of  a 
pilgrim.  He  had  a  venerable  gray  beard,  and  was  evidently 
very  old,  supporting  himself  on  a  staff,  yet  age  had  not 
bowed  him  down  ;  he  was  tall  and  erect,  and  had  the  wreck 
of  a  fine  form.  He  wore  a  round  Andalusian  hat,  a  sheep 
skin  jacket,  and  leathern  breeches,  gaiters,  and  sandals.  His 
dress,  though  old  and  patched,  was  decent,  his  demeanor 
manly,  and  he  addressed  us  with  the  grave  courtesy  that  is 
to  be  remarked  in  the  lowest  Spaniard.  We  were  in  a  favor 
able  mood  for  such  a  visitor ;  and  in  a  freak  of  capricious 
charity  gave  him  some  silver,  a  loaf  of  fine  wheaten  bread, 
and  a  goblet  of  our  choice  wine  of  Malaga.  He  received 
them  thankfully,  but  without  any  grovelling  tribute  of  grati 
tude.  Tasting  the  wine,  he  held  it  up  to  the  light,  with  a 
slight  beam  of  surprise  in  his  eye ;  then  quaffing  it  off  at  a 
draught,  "  It  is  many  years,"  said  he,  "  since  I  have  tasted 
such  wine.  It  is  a  cordial  to  an  old  man's  heart."  Then, 
looking  at  the  beautiful  wheaten  loaf,  "bendito  sea  tal pan!  " 
"  blessed  be  such  bread  !  "  So  saying,  he  put  it  in  his  wallet 


THE   JOURNEY 

We  urged  him  to  eat  it  on  the  spot.  "  No,  senors,"  replied 
he,  "  the  wine  I  had  either  to  drink  or  leave ;  but  the  bread 
I  may  take  home  to  share  with  my  family." 

Our  man  Sancho  sought  our  eye,  and  reading  permission 
there,  gave  the  old  man  some  of  the  ample  fragments  of  our 
repast,  on  condition,  however,  that  he  should  sit  down  and 
make  a  meal. 

He  accordingly  took  his  seat  at  some  little  distance  from 
us,  and  began  to  eat  slowly,  and  with  a  sobriety  and  decorum 
that  would  have  become  a  hidalgo.  There  was  altogether  a 
measured  manner  and  a  quiet  self-possession  about  the  old 
man,  that  made  me  think  that  he  had  seen  better  days :  his 
language,  too,  though  simple,  had  occasionally  something 
picturesque  and  almost  poetical  in  the  phraseology.  I  set 
him  down  for  some  broken-down  cavalier.  I  was  mistaken ; 
it  was  nothing  but  the  innate  courtesy  of  a  Spaniard,  and  the 
poetical  turn  of  thought  and  language  often  to  be  found  in 
the  lowest  classes  of  this  clear-witted  people.  For  fifty  years, 
he  told  us,  he  had  been  a  shepherd,  but  now  he  was  out  of 
employ  and  destitute.  "  When  I  was  a  young  man,"  said  he, 
"  nothing  could  harm  or  trouble  me ;  I  was  always  well, 
always  gay ;  but  now  I  am  seventy-nine  years  of  age,  and  a 
beggar,  and  my  heart  begins  to  fail  me." 

Still  he  was  not  a  regular  mendicant :  it  was  not  until 
recently  that  want  had  driven  him  to  this  degradation  ;  and 
he  gave  a  touching  picture  of  the  struggle  between  hunger 
and  pride,  when  abject  destitution  first  came  upon  him.  He 
was  returning  from  Malaga  without  money ;  he  had  not 
tasted  food  for  some  time,  and  was  crossing  one  of  the  great 
plains  of  Spain,  where  there  were  but  few  habitations. 
When  almost  dead  with  hunger,  he  applied  at  the  door  of 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

a  venta  or  country  inn.  "  Perdon  listed por  Dios  hermano  !  " 
(Excuse  us,  brother,  for  God's  sake !)  was  the  reply  —  the 
usual  mode  in  Spain  of  refusing  a  beggar.  "  I  turned  away," 
said  he,  "  with  shame  greater  than  my  hunger,  for  my  heart 
was  yet  too  proud.  I  came  to  a  river  with  high  banks,  and 
deep,  rapid  current,  and  felt  tempted  to  throw  myself  in. 
What  should  such  an  old,  worthless,  wretched  man  as  I  live 
for  ?  But  when  I  was  on  the  brink  of  the  current,  I  turned 
away.  I  travelled  on  until  I  saw  a  country-seat  at  a  little  dis 
tance  from  the  road,  and  entered  the  outer  gate  of  the  court 
yard.  The  door  was  shut,  but  there  were  two  young  senoras 
at  a  window.  I  approached  and  begged  ;  —  '  Perdon  listed 
por  Dios  hermano  !  '  —  and  the  window  closed.  I  crept  out 
of  the  courtyard,  but  hunger  overcame  me,  and  my  heart 
gave  way  :  I  thought  my  hour  at  hand,  so  I  laid  myself  down 
at  the  gate,  and  covered  my  head  to  die.  In  a  little  while 
afterwards  the  master  of  the  house  came  home :  seeing  me 
lying  at  his  gate,  he  uncovered  my  head,  had  pity  on  my 
gray  hairs,  took  me  into  his  house,  and  gave  me  food." 

The  old  man  was  on  his  way  to  his  native  place,  Archidona, 
which  was  in  full  view  on  its  steep  and  rugged  mountain. 
He  pointed  to  the  ruins  of  its  castle.  As  his  heart  warmed 
with  wine,  he  went  on  to  tell  us  a  story  of  the  buried  treasure 
left  under  the  castle  by  the  Moorish  king.  His  own  house  was 
next  to  the  foundations  of  the  castle.  The  curate  and  notary 
dreamed  three  times  of  the  treasure,  and  went  to  work  at  the 
place  pointed  out  in  their  dreams.  His  own  son-in-law  heard 
the  sound  of  their  pickaxes  and  spades  at  night.  What  they 
found,  nobody  knows ;  they  became  suddenly  rich,  but  kept 
their  own  secret.  Thus  the  old  man  had  once  been  next  door 
to  fortune,  but  was  doomed  never  to  get  under  the  same  roof. 

[26] 


THE   JOURNEY 

I  have  remarked  that  the  stories  of  treasure  buried  by  the 
Moors,  so  popular  throughout  Spain,  are  most  current  among 
the  poorest  people.  Kind  nature  consoles  with  shadows  for 
the  lack  of  substantial.  The  thirsty  man  dreams  of  fountains 
and  running  streams  ;  the  hungry  man  of  banquets  ;  and  the 
poor  man  of  heaps  of  hidden  gold  —  nothing  certainly  is 
more  opulent  than  the  imagination  of  a  beggar. 

Our  afternoon's  ride  took  us  through  a  steep  and  rugged 
defile  of  the  mountains,  called  Puerte  del  Rey  (the  Pass  of 
the  King) ;  being  one  of  the  great  passes  into  the  territories 
of  Granada,  and  the  one  by  which  King  Ferdinand  conducted 
his  army.  Towards  sunset  the  road,  winding  round  a  hill, 
brought  us  in  sight  of  the  famous  little  frontier  city  of  Loxa, 
which  repulsed  Ferdinand  from  its  walls.  Its  Arabic  name 
implies  guardian,  and  such  it  was  to  the  vega  of  Granada, 
being  one  of  its  advanced  guards.  It  was  the  stronghold  of 
that  fiery  veteran,  old  Ali  Atar,  father-in-law  of  Boabdil ;  and 
here  it  was  that  the  latter  collected  his  troops,  and  sallied  forth 
on  that  disastrous  foray  which  ended  in  the  death  of  the  old 
alcayde  and  his  own  captivity.  From  its  commanding  posi 
tion  at  the  gate,  as  it  were,  of  this  mountain-pass,  Loxa  has 
not  unaptly  been  termed  the  key  of  Granada.  It  is  wildly 
picturesque,  built  along  the  face  of  an  arid  mountain.  The 
ruins  of  a  Moorish  alcazar  or  citadel  crown  a  rocky  mound 
which  rises  out  of  the  centre  of  the  town.  The  river  Xenil 
washes  its  base,  winding  among  rocks,  and  groves,  and 
gardens,  and  meadows,  and  crossed  by  a  Moorish  bridge. 
Above  the  city  all  is  savage  and  sterile,  below  is  the  richest 
vegetation  and  the  freshest  verdure.  A  similar  contrast  is  pre 
sented  by  the  river  :  above  the  bridge  it  is  placid  and  grassy, 
reflecting  groves  and  gardens  ;  below,  it  is  rapid,  noisy,  and 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

tumultuous.  The  Sierra  Nevada,  the  royal  mountains  of 
Granada,  crowned  with  perpetual  snow,  form  the  distant 
boundary  to  this  varied  landscape,  one  of  the  most  charac 
teristic  of  romantic  Spain. 

Alighting  at  the  entrance  of  the  city,  we  gave  our  horses 
to  Sancho  to  lead  them  to  the  inn,  while  we  strolled  about  to 
enjoy  the  singular  beauty  of  the  environs.  As  we  crossed 
the  bridge  to  a  fine  alameda,  or  public  walk,  the  bells  tolled 
the  hour  of  orison.  At  the  sound  the  wayfarers,  whether  on 
business  or  pleasure,  paused,  took  off  their  hats,  crossed  them 
selves,  and  repeated  their  evening  prayer  —  a  pious  custom 
still  rigidly  observed  in  retired  parts  of  Spain.  Altogether, 
it  was  a  solemn  and  beautiful  evening  scene,  and  we  wandered 
on  as  the  evening  gradually  closed,  and  the  new  moon  began 
to  glitter  between  the  high  elms  of  the  alameda.  We  were 
roused  from  this  quiet  state  of  enjoyment  by  the  voice  of  our 
trusty  squire  hailing  us  from  a  distance.  He  came  up  to  us, 
out  of  breath.  "Ah,  senores"  cried  he,  "  el  pobre  Sancho  no 
cs  nada  sin  Don  Quixote."  (Ah,  senors,  poor  Sancho  is 
nothing  without  Don  Quixote.)  He  had  been  alarmed  at  our 
not  coming  to  the  inn ;  Loxa  was  such  a  wild  mountain  place, 
full  of  contrabandists,  enchanters,  and  infiernos  ;  he  did  not 
well  know  what  might  have  happened,  and  set  out  to  seek 
us,  inquiring  after  us  of  every  person  he  met,  until  he  traced 
us  across  the  bridge,  and,  to  his  great  joy,  caught  sight  of  us 
strolling  in  the  alameda. 

The  inn  to  which  he  conducted  us  was  called  the  Corona, 
or  Crown,  and  we  found  it  quite  in  keeping  with  the  charac 
ter  of  the  place,  the  inhabitants  of  which  seem  still  to  retain 
the  bold,  fiery  spirit  of  the  olden  time.  The  hostess  was  a 
young  and  handsome  Andalusian  widow.  Her  step  was  firm 

[28] 


THE   ALHAMBRA  AND   THE   SIERRA   NEVADA 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

and  elastic  ;  her  dark  eye  was  full  of  fire ;  and  the  coquetry 
of  her  air,  and  varied  ornaments  of  her  person,  showed  that 
she  was  accustomed  to  be  admired. 

She  was  well  matched  by  a  brother,  nearly  about  her  own 
age ;  they  were  perfect  models  of  the  Andalusian  majo  and 
maja.  He  was  tall,  vigorous,  and  well  formed,  with  a  clear 
olive  complexion,  a  dark  beaming  eye,  and  curling  chestnut 
whiskers  that  met  under  his  chin.  He  was  gallantly  dressed 
in  a  short  green  velvet  jacket,  fitted  to  his  shape,  profusely 
decorated  with  silver  buttons,  with  a  white  handkerchief  in 
each  pocket.  He  had  breeches  of  the  same,  with  rows  of 
buttons  from  the  hips  to  the  knees  ;  a  pink  silk  handkerchief 
round  his  neck,  gathered  through  a  ring,  on  the  bosom  of  a 
neatly-plaited  shirt ;  a  sash  round  the  waist  to  match ;  bottinas, 
or  spatterdashes,  of  the  finest  russet  leather,  elegantly  worked, 
and  open  at  the  calf  to  show  his  stocking ;  and  russet  shoes, 
setting  off  a  well-shaped  foot. 

As  he  was  standing  at  the  door,  a  horseman  rode  up  and 
entered  into  low  and  earnest  conversation  with  him.  He  was 
dressed  in  a  similar  style,  and  almost  with  equal  finery ;  a 
man  about  thirty,  square-built,  with  strong  Roman  features, 
handsome,  though  slightly  pitted  with  the  small-pox ;  with 
a  free,  bold,  and  somewhat  daring  air.  His  powerful  black 
horse  was  decorated  with  tassels  and  fanciful  trappings,  and 
a  couple  of  broad-mouthed  blunderbusses  hung  behind  the 
saddle.  He  had  the  air  of  one  of  those  contrabandistas  I 
have  seen  in  the  mountains  of  Ronda,  and  evidently  had  a 
good  understanding  with  the  brother  of  mine  hostess  ;  nay, 
if  I  mistake  not,  he  was  a  favored  admirer  of  the  widow.  In 
fact,  the  whole  inn  and  its  inmates  had  something  of  a  con- 
trabandista  aspect,  and  a  blunderbuss  stood  in  a  corner 

[30] 


THE    JOURNEY 

beside  the  guitar.  The  horseman  I  have  mentioned  passed 
his  evening  in  \he  posada,  and  sang  several  bold  mountain 
romances  with  great  spirit.  As  we  were  at  supper,  two  poor 
Asturians  put  in,  in  distress,  begging  food  and  a  night's  lodg 
ing.  They  had  been  waylaid  by  robbers  as  they  came  from 
a  fair  among  the  mountains,  robbed  of  a  horse  which  carried 
all  their  stock  in  trade,  stripped  of  their  money  and  most  of 
their  apparel,  beaten  for  having  offered  resistance,  and  left 
almost  naked  in  the  road.  My  companion,  with  a  prompt 
generosity  natural  to  him,  ordered  them  a  supper  and  a  bed, 
and  gave  them  a  sum  of  money  to  help  them  forward  towards 
their  home. 

As  the  evening  advanced,  the  dramatis  persona  thickened. 
A  large  man,  about  sixty  years  of  age,  of  powerful  frame, 
came  strolling  in,  to  gossip  with  mine  hostess.  He  was 
dressed  in  the  ordinary  Andalusian  costume,  but  had  a  huge 
sabre  tucked  under  his  arm  ;  wore  large  moustaches,  and  had 
something  of  a  lofty  swaggering  air.  Every  one  seemed  to 
regard  him  with  great  deference. 

Our  man  Sancho  whispered  to  us  that  he  was  Don  Ven 
tura  Rodriguez,  the  hero  and  champion  of  Loxa,  famous  for 
his  prowess  and  the  strength  of  his  arm.  In  the  time  of  the 
French  invasion  he  surprised  six  troopers  who  were  asleep ; 
he  first  secured  their  horses,  then  attacked  them  with  his 
sabre,  killed  some,  and  took  the  rest  prisoners.  For  this  ex 
ploit  the  king  allows  him  a  peseta  (the  fifth  of  a  duro,  or 
dollar)  per  day,  and  has  dignified  him  with  the  title  of  Don. 

I  was  amused  to  behold  his  swelling  language  and  de 
meanor.  He  was  evidently  a  thorough  Andalusian,  boastful 
as  brave.  His  sabre  was  always  in  his  hand  or  under  his 
arm.  He  carries  it  always  about  with  him  as  a  child  does 

[3'] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

its  doll,  and  says,  "  When  I  draw  it,  the  earth  trembles  " 
(tiembla  la  tierra). 

I  sat  until  a  late  hour  listening  to  the  varied  themes  of  this 
motley  group,  who  mingled  together  with  the  unreserve  of  a 
Spanish  posada.  We  had  contrabandista  songs,  stories  of 
robbers,  guerrilla  exploits,  and  Moorish  legends.  The  last 
were  from  our  handsome  landlady,  who  gave  a  poetical  account 
of  the  infiernos,  or  infernal  regions  of  Loxa,  —  dark  caverns, 
in  which  subterranean  streams  and  waterfalls  make  a  myste 
rious  sound.  The  common  people  say  that  there  are  money- 
coiners  shut  up  there  from  the  time  of  the  Moors,  and  that 
the  Moorish  kings  kept  their  treasures  in  those  caverns. 

I  retired  to  bed  with  my  imagination  excited  by  all  that  I 
had  seen  and  heard  in  this  old  warrior  city.  Scarce  had  I 
fallen  asleep  when  I  was  aroused  by  a  horrid  din  and  uproar, 
that  might  have  confounded  the  hero  of  La  Mancha  himself, 
whose  experience  of  Spanish  inns  was  a  continual  uproar.  It 
seemed  for  a  moment  as  if  the  Moors  were  once  more  break 
ing  into  the  town,  or  the  infiernos  of  which  mine  hostess 
talked  had  broken  loose.  I  sallied  forth,  half  dressed,  to 
reconnoitre.  It  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  charivari 
to  celebrate  the  nuptials  of  an  old  man  with  a  buxom  damsel. 
Wishing  him  joy,  I  returned  to  my  more  quiet  bed,  and  slept 
soundly  until  morning. 

While  dressing,  I  amused  myself  in  reconnoitring  the  pop 
ulace  from  my  window.  There  were  groups  of  fine-looking 
young  men  in  the  trim  fanciful  Andalusian  costume,  with 
brown  cloaks,  thrown  about  them  in  true  Spanish  style,  which 
cannot  be  imitated,  and  little  round  majo  hats  stuck  on  with 
a  peculiar  knowing  air.  They  had  the  same  galliard  look 
which  I  have  remarked  among  the  dandy  mountaineers  of 

[32] 


THE   JOURNEY 

Ronda.  Indeed,  all  this  part  of  Andalusia  abounds  with  such 
game-looking  characters.  They  loiter  about  the  towns  and 
villages,  seem  to  have  plenty  of  time  and  plenty  of  money, 
"  horse  to  ride  and  weapon  to  wear."  •  —  Great  gossips,  great 
smokers,  apt  at  touching  the  guitar,  singing  couplets  to  their 
maja  belles,  and  famous  dancers  of  the  bolero.  Throughout 
all  Spain  the  men,  however  poor,  have  a  gentlemanlike  abun 
dance  of  leisure,  seeming  to  consider  it  the  attribute  of  a  true 
cavaliero  never  to  be  in  a  hurry ;  but  the  Andalusians  are 
gay  as  well  as  leisurely,  and  have  none  of  the  squalid  accom 
paniments  of  idleness.  The  adventurous  contraband  trade 
which  prevails  throughout  these  mountain  regions,  and  along 
the  maritime  borders  of  Andalusia,  is  doubtless  at  the  bottom 
of  this  galliard  .character. 

In  contrast  to  the  costume  of  these  groups  was  that  of  two 
long-legged  Valencians  conducting  a  donkey,  laden  with  arti 
cles  of  merchandise,  their  musket  slung  crosswise  over  his 
back,  ready  for  action.  They  wore  round  jackets  (jalecos), 
wide  linen  bragas  or  drawers  scarce  reaching  to  their  knees 
and  looking  like  kilts,  red  fajas  or  sashes  swathed  tightly 
round  their  waists,  sandals  of  espartal  or  bass  weed,  colored 
kerchiefs  round  their  heads  somewhat  in  the  style  of  turbans, 
but  leaving  the  top  of  the  head  uncovered  ;  in  short,  their 
whole  appearance  having  much  of  the  traditional  Moorish 
stamp. 

On  leaving  Loxa  we  were  joined  by  a  cavalier,  well 
mounted  and  well  armed,  and  "followed  on  foot  by  an  esco- 
petero  or  musketeer.  He  saluted  us  courteously,  and  soon  let 
us  into  his  quality.  He  was  chief  of  the  customs,  or  rather, 
I  should  suppose,  chief  of  an  armed  company  whose  business 
it  is  to  patrol  the  roads  and  look  out  for  contrabandistas. 

[33] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

The  escopetero  was  one  of  his  guards.  In  the  course  of  our 
morning's  ride  I  drew  from  him  some  particulars  concerning 
the  smugglers,  who  have  risen  to  be  a  kind  of  mongrel  chiv 
alry  in  Spain.  They  come  into  Andalusia,  he  said,  from  vari 
ous  parts,  but  especially  from  La  Mancha ;  sometimes  to 
receive  goods,  to  be  smuggled  on  an  appointed  night  across 
the  line  at  the  plaza  or  strand  of  Gibraltar ;  sometimes  to 
meet  a  vessel,  which  is  to  hover  on  a  given  night  off  a  certain 
part  of  the  coast.  They  keep  together  and  travel  in  the  night. 
In  the  daytime  they  lie  quiet  in  barrancos,  gullies  of  the 
mountains,  or  lonely  farm-houses,  where  they  are  generally 
well  received,  as  they  make  the  family  liberal  presents  of 
their  smuggled  wares.  Indeed,  much  of  the  finery  and  trin 
kets  worn  by  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the  mountain  hamlets 
and  farm-houses  are  presents  from  the  gay  and  open-handed 
con  traban  distas . 

Arrived  at  the  part  of  the  coast  where  a  vessel  is  to  meet 
them,  they  look  out  at  night  from  some  rocky  point  or  head 
land.  If  they  descry  a  sail  near  the  shore  they  make  a  con 
certed  signal ;  sometimes  it  consists  in  suddenly  displaying  a 
lantern  three  times  from  beneath  the  folds  of  the  cloak.  If 
the  signal  is  answered,  they  descend  to  the  shore  and  prepare 
for  quick  work.  The  vessel  runs  close  in  ;  all  her  boats  are 
busy  landing  the  smuggled  goods,  made  up  into  snug  pack 
ages  for  transportation  on  horseback.  These  are  hastily  thrown 
on  the  beach,  as  hastily  gathered  up  and  packed  on  the 
horses,  and  then  the  contrabandistas  clatter  off  to  the  moun 
tains.  They  travel  by  the  roughest,  wildest,  and  most  solitary 
roads,  where  it  is  almost  fruitless  to  pursue  them.  The 
custom-house  guards  do  not  attempt  it :  they  take  a  different 
course.  When  they  hear  of  one  of  these  bands  returning  full 

[34] 


THE   JOURNEY 

freighted  through  the  mountains,  they  go  out  in  force,  some 
times  twelve  infantry  and  eight  horsemen,  and  take  their 
station  where  the  mountain  defile  opens  into  the  plain.  The 
infantry,  who  lie  in  ambush  some  distance  within  the  defile,, 
suffer  the  band  to  pass,  then  rise  and  fire  upon  them.  The 
contrabandistas  dash  forward,  but  are  met  in  front  by  the 
horsemen.  A  wild  skirmish  ensues.  The  contrabandistas, 
if  hard  pressed,  become  desperate.  Some  dismount,  use 
their  horses  as  breastworks,  and  fire  over  their  backs  ;  others 
cut  the  cords,  let  the  packs  fall  off  to  delay  the  enemy,  and 
endeavor  to  escape  with  their  steeds.  Some  get  off  in  this 
way  with  the  loss  of  their  packages  ;  some  are  taken,  horsesr 
packages,  and  all ;  others  abandon  everything,  and  make 
their  escape  by  scrambling  up  the  mountains.  "  And  then,"" 
cried  Sancho,  who  had  been  listening  with  a  greedy  earr 
" se  hacen  ladrones  legitimos"  —  "and  then  they  become 
legitimate  robbers." 

I  could  not  help  laughing  at  Sancho's  idea  of  a  legitimate 
calling  of  the  kind  ;  but  the  chief  of  customs  told  me  it  was 
really  the  case  that  the  smugglers,  when  thus  reduced  to 
extremity,  thought  they  had  a  kind  of  right  to  take  the  roady 
and  lay  travellers  under  contribution,  until  they  had  collected 
funds  enough  to  mount  and  equip  themselves  in  contraban 
dist  a  style. 

Towards  noon  our  wayfaring  companion  took  leave  of  us 
and  turned  up  a  steep  defile,  followed  by  his  escopetero  ;  and 
shortly  afterwards  we  emerged  from  the  mountains,  and  en 
tered  upon  the  far-famed  vega  of  Granada. 

Our  last  mid-day's  repast  was  taken  under  a  grove  of  olive 
trees  on  the  border  of  a  rivulet.  We  were  in  a  classical  neigh 
borhood  ;  for  not  far  off  were  the  groves  and  orchards  of  the 

[35] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Soto  de  Roma.  This,  according  to  fabulous  tradition,  was  a  re 
treat  founded  by  Count  Julian  to  console  his  daughter  Florinda. 
It  was  a  rural  resort  of  the  Moorish  kings  of  Granada ;  and  has 
in  modern  times  been  granted  to  the  Duke  of  Wellington. 

Our  worthy  squire  made  a  half  melancholy  face  as  he  drew 
forth,  for  the  last  time,  the  contents  of  his  alforjas,  lament 
ing  that  our  expedition  was  drawing  to  a  close,  for,  with  such 
cavaliers,  he  said,  he  could  travel  to  the  world's  end.  Our 
repast,  however,  was  a  gay  one ;  made  under  such  delightful 
auspices.  The  day  was  without  a  cloud.  The  heat  of  the  sun 
was  tempered  by  cool  breezes  from  the  mountains.  Before 
us  extended  the  glorious  Vega.  In  the  distance  was  romantic 
Granada  surmounted  by  the  ruddy  towers  of  the  Alhambra, 
while  far  above  it  the  snowy  summits  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
shone  like  silver. 

Our  repast  finished,  we  spread  our  cloaks  and  took  our  last 
siesta  alfresco,  lulled  by  the  humming  of  bees  among  the 
flowers  and  the  notes  of  doves  among  the  olive  trees.  When 
the  sultry  hours  were  passed  we  resumed  our  journey.  After 
a  time  we  overtook  a  pursy  little  man,  shaped  not  unlike  a 
toad,  and  mounted  on  a  mule.  He  fell  into  conversation  with 
Sancho,  and,  finding  we  were  strangers,  undertook  to  guide 
us  to  a  goodposada.  He  was  an  escribano  (notary),  he  said, 
and  knew  the  city  as  thoroughly  as  his  own  pocket.  "Ah, 
dios  sehores !  what  a  city  you  are  going  to  see.  Such  streets! 
such  squares  !  such  palaces ! "  "  But  the  posada  you  talk  of, ' ' 
said  I,  "are  you  sure  it  is  a  good  one  ?  " 

"Good!  the  best  in  Granada.  Salones  grandes  —  camas 
de  luxo  —  colchones  de  phima  (grand  saloons  —  luxurious 
sleeping-rooms  —  beds  of  down).  Ah,  senores,  you  will  fare 
like  King  Chico  in  the  Alhambra." 

"  And  how  will  my  horses  fare  ?  "  cried  Sancho. 

[36] 


THE   JOURNEY 

"Like  King  Chico's  horses.  Chocolate  con  leche y  bollos 
para  almuerza  "  (chocolate  and  milk  with  sugar  cakes  for 
breakfast),  giving  the  squire  a  knowing  wink  and  a  leer. 

After  such  satisfactory  accounts,  nothing  more  was  to  be 
desired  on  that  head.  So  we  rode  quietly  on,  the  squab  little 
notary  taking  the  lead,  and  turning  to  us  every  moment  with 
some  fresh  exclamation  about  the  grandeurs  of  Granada  and 
the  famous  times  we  were  to  have  at  the  posada. 

Thus  escorted,  we  passed  between  hedges  of  aloes  and 
Indian  figs,  and  through  that  wilderness  of  gardens  with 
which  the  Vega  is  embroidered,  and  arrived  about  sunset  at 
the  gates  of  the  city.  Our  officious  little  conductor  conveyed 
us  up  one  street  and  down  another,  until  he  rode  into  the 
courtyard  of  an  inn  where  he  appeared  to  be  perfectly  at 
home.  Summoning  the  landlord  by  his  Christian  name,  he 
committed  us  to  his  care  as  two  cavalleros  de  mucho  valor, 
worthy  of  his  best  apartments  and  most  sumptuous  fare.  We 
were  instantly  reminded  of  the  patronizing  stranger  who  intro 
duced  Gil  Bias  with  such  a  flourish  of  trumpets  to  the  host 
and  hostess  of  the  inn  at  Pennaflor,  ordering  trouts  for  his 
supper,  and  eating  voraciously  at  his  expense.  "  You  know 
not  what  you  possess,"  cried  he  to  the  innkeeper  and  his  wife. 
"  You  have  a  treasure  in  your  house.  Behold  in  this  young 
gentleman  the  eighth  wonder  of  the  world  —  nothing  in  this 
house  is  too  good  for  Sefior  Gil  Bias  of  Santillane,  who 
deserves  to  be  entertained  like  a  prince." 

Determined  that  the  little  notary  should  not  eat  trouts  at  our 
expense,  like  his  prototype  of  Pennaflor,  we  forbore  to  ask 
him  to  supper  ;  nor  had  we  reason  to  reproach  ourselves  with 
ingratitude,  for  we  found  before  morning  the  little  varlet,  who 
was  no  doubt  a  good  friend  of  the  landlord,  had  decoyed  us 
into  one  of  the  shabbiest  posadas  in  Granada. 

[37] 


The  Town  of  Grenada  Is 
situated  chiefly  to  the 
north  and  west  of  the 

Alhambra 


Towers 


. 

*N3s 


PALACE  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA 

THE  traveller  imbued  with  a  feeling  for  the  his 
torical  and  poetical,  so  inseparably  intertwined  in  the 
Jl  annals  of  romantic  Spain,  the  Alhambra  is  as  much 
an  object  of  devotion  as  is  the  Caaba  to  all  true  Moslems. 
How  many  legends  and  traditions,  true  and  fabulous,  —  how 
many  songs  and  ballads,  Arabian  and  Spanish,  of  love  and 
war  and  chivalry,  are  associated  with  this  Oriental  pile  !  It 
was  the  royal  abode  of  the  Moorish  kings,  where,  surrounded 
with  the  splendors  and  refinements  of  Asiatic  luxury,  they 
held  dominion  over  what  they  vaunted  as  a  terrestrial  paradise, 
and  made  their  last  stand  for  empire  in  Spain.  The  royal 
palace  forms  but  a  part  of  a  fortress,  the  walls  of  which, 
studded  with  towers,  stretch  irregularly  round  the  whole  crest 
of  a  hill,  a  spur  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  or  Snowy  Mountains, 
and  overlook  the  city ;  externally  it  is  a  rude  congregation  of 

[39] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

towers  and  battlements,  with  no  regularity  of  plan  nor  grace 
of  architecture,  and  giving  little  promise  of  the  grace  and 
beauty  which  prevail  within. 

In  the  time  of  the  Moors  the  fortress  was  capable  of  con 
taining  within  its  outward  precincts  an  army  of  forty  thousand 
men,  and  served  occasionally  as  a  stronghold  of  the  sovereigns 
against  their  rebellious  subjects.  After  the  kingdom  had 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Christians,  the  Alhambra  con 
tinued  to  be  a  royal  demesne,  and  was  occasionally  inhabited 
by  the  Castilian  monarchs.  The  emperor  Charles  V  com 
menced  a  sumptuous  palace  within  its  walls,  but  was  deterred 
from  completing  it  by  repeated  shocks  of  earthquakes.  The 
last  royal  residents  were  Philip  V  and  his  beautiful  queen, 
Elizabetta  of  Parma,  early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  Great 
preparations  were  made  for  their  reception.  The  palace  and 
gardens  were  placed  in  a  state  of  repair,  and  a  new  suite  of 
apartments  erected,  and  decorated  by  artists  brought  from 
Italy.  The  sojourn  of  the  sovereigns  was  transient,  and  after 
their  departure  the  palace  once  more  became  desolate.  Still 
the  place  was  maintained  with  some  military  state.  The 
governor  held  it  immediately  from  the  crown,  its  jurisdiction 
extended  down  into  the  suburbs  of  the  city,  and  was  inde 
pendent  of  the  captain-general  of  Granada.  A  considerable 
garrison  was  kept  up ;  the  governor  had  his  apartments  in 
the  front  of  the  old  Moorish  palace,  and  never  descended 
into  Granada  without  some  military  parade.  The  fortress,  in 
fact,  was  a  little  town  of  itself,  having  several  streets  of 
houses  within  its  walls,  together  with  a  Franciscan  convent 
and  a  parochial  church. 

The  desertion  of  the  court,  however,  was  a  fatal  blow  to 
the  Alhambra.  Its  beautiful  halls  became  desolate,  and  some 


A./ 


GRANADA  FROM  THE  GENERALIFE 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

of  them  fell  to  ruin  ;  the  gardens  were  destroyed,  and  the 
fountains  ceased  to  play.  By  degrees  the  dwellings  became 
filled  with  a  loose  and  lawless  population:  contrabandists y 
who  availed  themselves  of  its  independent  jurisdiction  to  carry 
on  a  wide  and  daring  course  of  smuggling,  and  thieves  and 
rogues  of  all  sorts,  who  made  this  their  place  of  refuge 
whence  they  might  depredate  upon  Granada  and  its  vicinity. 
The  strong  arm  of  government  at  length  interfered ;  the 
whole  community  was  thoroughly  sifted  ;  none  were  suffered 
to  remain  but  such  as  were  of  honest  character,  and  had 
legitimate  right  to  a  residence  ;  the  greater  part  of  the  houses 
were  demolished  and  a  mere  hamlet  left,  with  the  parochial 
church  and  the  convent.  During  the  recent  troubles  in 
Spain,  when  Granada  was  in  the  hands  of  the  French,  the 
Alhambra  was  garrisoned  by  their  troops,  and  the  palace  was 
occasionally  inhabited  by  the  French  commander.  With  that 
enlightened  taste  which  has  ever  distinguished  the  French 
nation  in  their  conquests,  this  monument  of  Moorish  elegance 
and  grandeur  was  rescued  from  the  absolute  ruin  and  desola 
tion  that  were  overwhelming  it.  The  roofs  were  repaired, 
the  saloons  and  galleries  protected  from  the  weather,  the 
gardens  cultivated,  the  watercourses  restored,  the  fountains 
once  more  made  to  throw  up  their  sparkling  showers ;  and 
Spain  may  thank  her  invaders  for  having  preserved  to  her  the 
most  beautiful  and  interesting  of  her  historical  monuments. 

On  the  departure  of  the  French  they  blew  up  several 
towers  of  the  outer  wall,  and  left  the  fortifications  scarcely 
tenable.  Since  that  time  .  the  military  importance  of  the 
post  is  at  an  end.  The  garrison  is  a  handful  of  invalid 
soldiers,  whose  principal  duty  is  to  guard  some  of  the  outer 
towers,  which  serve  occasionally  as  a  prison  of  state ;  and  the 

[42] 


PALACE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

governor,  abandoning  the  lofty  hill  of  the  Alhambra,  resides 
in  the  centre  of  Granada,  for  the  more  convenient  despatch 
of  his  official  duties. 

Our  first  object,  of  course,  on  the  morning  after  our  arrival, 
was  a  visit  to  this  time-honored  edifice ;  it  has  been  so  often, 
however,  and  so  minutely  described  by  travellers,  that  I  shall 
not  undertake  to  give  a  comprehensive  and  elaborate  account 
of  it,  but  merely  occasional  sketches  of  parts,  with  the 
incidents  and  associations  connected  with  them. 

Leaving  our  posada,  and  traversing  the  renowned  square 
of  the  Vivarrambla,  once  the  scene  of  Moorish  jousts  and 
tournaments,  now  a  crowded  market-place,  we  proceeded 
along  the  Zacatin,  the  main  street  of  what,  in  the  time  of  the 
Moors,  was  the  Great  Bazaar,  and  where  small  shops  and 
narrow  alleys  still  retain  the  Oriental  character.  Crossing  an 
open  place  in  front  of  the  palace  of  the  captain-general,  we 
ascended  a  confined  and  winding  street,  the  name  of  which 
reminded  us  of  the  chivalric  days  of  Granada.  It  is  called 
the  Calle,  or  street  of  the  Gomeres,  from  a  Moorish  family 
famous  in  chronicle  and  song.  This  street  led  up  to  the 
Puerta  de  las  Granadas,  a  massive  gateway  of  Grecian  archi 
tecture,  built  by  Charles  V,  forming  the  entrance  to  the 
domains  of  the  Alhambra. 

At  the  gate  were  two  or  three  ragged  superannuated  sol 
diers,  dozing  on  a  stone  bench,  the  successors  of  the  Zegris 
and  the  Abencerrages  ;  while  a  tall,  meagre  varlet,  whose 
rusty-brown  cloak  was  evidently  intended  to  conceal  the 
ragged  state  of  his  nether  garments,  was  lounging  in  the 
sunshine  and  gossiping  with  an  ancient  sentinel  on  duty. 
He  joined  us  as  we  entered  the  gate,  and  offered  his  services 
to  show  us  the  fortress. 

[43] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

I  have  a  traveller's  dislike  to  officious  ciceroni,  and  did  not 
altogether  like  the  garb  of  the  applicant. 

"  You  are  well  acquainted  with  the  place,  I  presume  ?  " 

"  Ninguno  mas ;  pues,  senor,  soy  hijo  de  la  Alhambra" 
-  (Nobody  better  ;  in  fact,  sir,  I  am  a  son  of  the  Alhambra  !) 

The  common  Spaniards  have  certainly  a  most  poetic  way 
of  expressing  themselves.  "A  son  of  the  Alhambra!  "  the 
appellation  caught  me  at  once  ;  the  very  tattered  garb  of  my 
new  acquaintance  assumed  a  dignity  in  my  eyes.  It  was 
emblematic  of  the  fortunes  of  the  place,  and  befitted  the 
progeny  of  a  ruin. 

I  put  some  further  questions  to  him,  and  found  that  his 
title- was  legitimate.  His  family  had  lived  in  the  fortress  from 
generation  to  generation  ever  since  the  time  of  the  Conquest. 
His  name  was  Mateo  Ximenes.  "  Then,  perhaps,"  said  I, 
"  you  may  be  a  descendant  from  the  great  Cardinal  Ximenes  ? " 
"  Dios  sabe  !  God  knows,  senor  !  It  may  be  so.  We  are  the 
oldest  family  in  the  Alhambra,  —  Christianas  viejos,  old 
Christians.  I  know  we  belong  to  some  great  family  or  other, 
but  I  forget  whom.  My  father  knows  all  about  it ;  he  has  the 
coat-of-arms  hanging  up  in  his  cottage,  up  in  the  fortress." 
There  is  not  any  Spaniard,  however  poor,  but  has  some  claim 
to  high  pedigree.  The  first  title  of  this  ragged  worthy,  how 
ever,  had  completely  captivated  me,  so  I  gladly  accepted  the 
services  of  the  "  son  of  the  Alhambra." 

We  now  found  ourselves  in  a  deep,  narrow  ravine,  filled 
with  beautiful  groves,  with  a  steep  avenue,  and  various  foot 
paths  winding  through  it,  bordered  with  stone  seats,  and 
ornamented  with  fountains.  To  our  left  we  beheld  the  towers 
of  the  Alhambra  beetling  above  us  ;  to  our  right,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  ravine,  we  were  equally  dominated  by 

[44] 


PALACE    OF    THE   ALHAMBRA 

rival  towers  on  a  rocky  eminence.  These,  we  were  told,  were 
the  torres  bermejas,  or  vermilion  towers,  so  called  from  their 
ruddy  hue.  No  one  knows  their  origin.  They  are  of  a  date 
much  anterior  to  the  Alhambra  :  some  suppose  them  to  have 
been  built  by  the  Romans  ;  others,  by  some  wandering  colony 
of  Phoenicians.  Ascending  the  steep  and  shady  avenue,  we 
arrived  at  the  foot  of  a  huge  square  Moorish  tower,  forming 
a  kind  of  barbican,  through  which  passed  the  main  entrance 
to  the  fortress.  Within  the  barbican  was  another  group  of 
veteran  invalids,  one  mounting  guard  at  the  portal,  while  the 
rest,  wrapped  in  their  tattered  cloaks,  slept  on  the  stone 
benches.  This  portal  is  called  the  Gate  of  Justice,  from  the 
tribunal  held  within  its  porch  during  the  Moslem  domination, 
for  the  immediate  trial  of  petty  causes  —  a  custom  common 
to  the  Oriental  nations,  and  occasionally  alluded  to  in  the 
sacred  Scriptures.  "  Judges  and  officers  shalt  thou  make  thee 
in  all  thy  gates,  and  they  shall  judge  the  people  with  just 
judgment." 

The  great  vestibule,  or  porch  of  the  gate,  is  formed  by  an 
immense  Arabian  arch,  of  the  horseshoe  form,  which  springs 
to  half  the  height  of  the  tower.  On  the  keystone  of  this  arch 
is  engraven  a  gigantic  hand.  Within  the  vestibule,  on  the 
keystone  of  the  portal,  is  sculptured,  in  like  manner,  a  gigantic 
key.  Those  who  pretend  to  some  knowledge  of  Mohammedan 
symbols  affirm  that  the  hand  is  the  emblem  of  doctrine,  the 
five  fingers  designating  the  five  principal  commandments  of 
the  creed  of  Islam,  fasting,  pilgrimage,  almsgiving,  ablution, 
and  war  against  infidels.  The  key,  say  they,  is  the  emblem 
of  the  faith  or  of  power  ;  the  key  of  Daoud,  or  David,  trans 
mitted  to  the  prophet.  "  And  the  key  of  the  house  of  David 
will  I  lay  upon  his  shoulder  ;  so  he  shall  open  and  none  shall 

[45] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

shut,  and  he  shall  shut  and  none  shall  open."  (Isaiah  xxii,  22.) 
The  key  we  are  told  was  emblazoned  on  the  standard  of  the 
Moslems  in  opposition  to  the  Christian  emblem  of  the  cross, 
when  they  subdued  Spain  or  Andalusia.  It  betokened  the 
conquering  power  invested  in  the  prophet.  "  He  that  hath 
the  key  of  David,  he  that  openeth  and  no  man  shutteth  ;  and 
shutteth  and  no  man  openeth."  (Rev.  iii,  7.) 

A  different  explanation  of  these  emblems,  however,  was 
given  by  the  legitimate  son  of  the  Alhambra,  and  one  more 
in  unison  with  the  notions  of  the  common  people,  who  attach 
something  of  mystery  and  magic  to  everything  Moorish,  and 
have  all  kinds  of  superstitions  connected  with  this  old  Moslem 
fortress.  According  to  Mateo,  it  was  a  tradition  handed  down 
from  the  oldest  inhabitants,  and  which  he  had  from  his  father 
and  grandfather,  that  the  hand  and  key  were  magical  devices 
on  which  the  fate  of  the  Alhambra  depended.  The  Moorish 
king  who  built  it  was  a  great  magician,  or,  as  some  believed, 
had  sold  himself  to  the  devil,  and  had  laid  the  whole  fortress 
under  a  magic  spell.  By  this  means  it  had  remained  standing 
for  several  years,  in  defiance  of  storms  and  earthquakes,  while 
almost  all  other  buildings  of  the  Moors  had  fallen  to  ruin  and 
disappeared.  This  spell,  the  tradition  went  on  to  say,  would 
last  until  the  hand  on  the  outer  arch  should  reach  down  and 
grasp  the  key,  when  the  whole  pile  would  tumble  to  pieces, 
and  all  the  treasures  buried  beneath  it  by  the  Moors  would 
be  revealed. 

After  passing  through  the  barbican,  we  ascended  a  narrow 
lane,  winding  between  walls,  and  came  on  an  open  esplanade 
within  the  fortress,  called  the  Plaza  de  los  Aljibes,  or  Place 
of  the  Cisterns,  from  great  reservoirs  which  undermine  it, 
cut  in  the  living  rock  by  the  Moors  to  receive  the  water  brought 

[46] 


PALACE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

by  conduits  from  the  Darro,  for  the  supply  of  the  fortress. 
Here,  also,  is  a  well  of  immense  depth,  furnishing  the  purest 
and  coldest  of  water,  —  another  monument  of  the  delicate 
taste  of  the  Moors,  who  were  indefatigable  in  their  exertions 
to  obtain  that  element  in  its  crystal  purity. 

In  front  of  this  esplanade  is  the  splendid  pile  commenced 
by  Charles  V,  and  intended,  it  is  said,  to  eclipse  the  residence 
of  the  Moorish  kings.  Much  of  the  Oriental  edifice  intended 
for  the  winter  season  was  demolished  to  make  way  for  this 
massive  pile.  The  grand  entrance  was  blocked  up,  so  that 
the  present  entrance  to  the  Moorish  palace  is  through  a  sim 
ple  and  almost  humble  portal  in  a  corner.  With  all  the  massive 
grandeur  and  architectural  merit  of  the  palace  of  Charles  V, 
we  regarded  it  as  an  arrogant  intruder,  and,  passing  by  it  with 
a  feeling  almost  of  scorn,  rang  at  the  Moslem  portal. 

While  waiting  for  admittance,  our  self-imposed  cicerone, 
Mateo  Ximenes,  informed  us  that  the  royal  palace  was 
entrusted  to  the  care  of  a  worthy  old  maiden  dame  called 
Dona  Antonia-Molina,  but  who,  according  to  Spanish  cus 
tom,  went  by  the  more  neighborly  appellation  of  Tia  Antonia 
(Aunt  Antonia),  who  maintained  the  Moorish  halls  and 
gardens  in  order  and  showed  them  to  strangers.  While  we 
were  talking,  the  door  was  opened  by  a  plump  little  black- 
eyed  Andalusian  damsel,  whom  Mateo  addressed  as  Dolores, 
but  who,  from  her  bright  looks  and  cheerful  disposition,  evi 
dently  merited  a  merrier  name.  Mateo  informed  me  in  a 
whisper  that  she  was  the  niece  of  Tia  Antonia,  and  I  found 
she  was  the  good  fairy  who  was  to  conduct  us  through  the 
enchanted  palace.  Under  her  guidance  we  crossed  the  thresh 
old,  and  were  at  once  transported,  as  if  by  magic  wand,  into 
other  times  and  an  Oriental  realm,  and  were  treading  the 

[47] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

scenes  of  Arabian  story.  Nothing  could  be  in  greater  con 
trast  than  the  unpromising  exterior  of  the  pile  with  the  scene 
now  before  us.  We  found  ourselves  in  a  vast/<z/z0,  or  court, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length,  and  upwards  of  eighty 
feet  in  breadth,  paved  with  white  marble,  and  decorated  at 
each  end  with  light  Moorish  peristyles,  one  of  which  sup 
ported  an  elegant  gallery  of  fretted  architecture.  Along  the 
mouldings  of  the  cornices  and  on  various  parts  of  the  walls 
were  escutcheons  and  ciphers,  and  cufic  and  Arabic  charac 
ters  in  high  relief,  repeating  the  pious  mottoes  of  the  Moslem 
monarchs,  the  builders  of  the  Alhambra,  or  extolling  their 
grandeur  and  munificence.  Along  the  centre  of  the  court 
extended  an  immense  basin  or  tank  (estanque\  a  hundred 
and  twenty-four  feet  in  length,  twenty-seven  in  breadth,  and 
five  in  depth,  receiving  its  water  from  two  marble  vases. 
Hence  it  is  called  the  Court  of  the  Alberca  (from  al  beerkah, 
the  Arabic  for  a  pond  or  tank).  Great  numbers  of  gold-fish 
were  to  be  seen  gleaming  through  the  waters  of  the  basin, 
and  it  was  bordered  by  hedges  of  roses. 

Passing  from  the  Court  of  the  Alberca  under  a  Moorish 
archway,  we  entered  the  renowned  Court  of  Lions.  No  part 
of  the  edifice  gives  a  more  complete  idea  of  its  original  beauty 
than  this,  for  none  has  suffered  so  little  from  the  ravages  of 
time.  In  the  centre  stands  the  fountain  famous  in  song  and 
story.  The  alabaster  basins  still  shed  their  diamond  drops ; 
the  twelve  lions  which  support  them,  and  give  the  court  its 
name,  still  cast  forth  crystal  streams  as  in  the  days  of  Boabdil. 
The  lions,  however,  are  unworthy  of  their  fame,  being  of  mis 
erable  sculpture,  the  work  probably  of  some  Christian  captive. 
The  court  is  laid  out  in  flower-beds,  instead  of  its  ancient  and 
appropriate  pavement  of  tiles  or  marble ;  the  alteration,  an 

[48] 


''         ' 


4*1   ^/r*- 


THE   COURT  OF  LIONS 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

instance  of  bad  taste,  was  made  by  the  French  when  in  pos 
session  of  Granada.  Round  the  four  sides  of  the  court  are 
light  Arabian  arcades  of  open  filigree  work,  supported  by 
slender  pillars  of  white  marble,  which  it  is  supposed  were 
originally  gilded.  The  architecture,  like  that  in  most  parts 
of  the  interior  of  the  palace,  is  characterized  by  elegance 
rather  than  grandeur,  bespeaking  a  delicate  and  graceful 
taste,  and  a  disposition  to  indolent  enjoyment.  When  one 
looks  upon  the  fairy  traces  of  the  peristyles,  and  the  appar 
ently  fragile  fretwork  of  the  walls,  it  is  difficult  to  believe 
that  so  much  has  survived  the  wear  and  tear  of  centuries, 
the  shocks  of  earthquakes,  the  violence  of  war,  and  the  quiet, 
though  no  less  baneful,  pilferings  of  the  tasteful  traveller: 
it  is  almost  sufficient  to  excuse  the  popular  tradition  that 
the  whole  is  protected  by  a  magic  charm. 

On  one  side  of  the  court  a  rich  portal  opens  into  the  Hall 
of  the  Abencerrages :  so  called  from  the  gallant  cavaliers  of 
that  illustrious  line  who  were  here  perfidiously  massacred. 
There  are  some  who  doubt  the  whole  story,  but  our  humble 
cicerone  Mateo  pointed  out  the  very  wicket  of  the  portal 
through  which  they  were  introduced  one  by  one  into  the 
Court  of  Lions,  and  the  white  marble  fountain  in  the  centre 
of  the  hall  beside  which  they  were  beheaded.  He  showed  us 
also  certain  broad  ruddy  stains  on  the  pavement,  traces  of 
their  blood,  which,  according  to  popular  belief,  can  never 
be  effaced. 

Finding  we  listened  to  him  apparently  with  easy  faith,  he 
added,  that  there  was  often  heard  at  night,  in  the  Court  of 
Lions,  a  low  confused  sound,  resembling  the  murmuring  of 
a  multitude,  and  now  and  then  a  faint  tinkling,  like  the  dis 
tant  clank  of  chains.  These  sounds  were  made  by  the  spirits 

[So] 


PALACE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

of  the  murdered  Abencerrages  ;  who  nightly  haunt  the  scene 
of  their  suffering  and  invoke  the  vengeance  of  Heaven  on 
their  destroyer. 

The  sounds  in  question  had  no  doubt  been  produced,  as  I 
had  afterwards  an  opportunity  of  ascertaining,  by  the  bubbling 
currents  and  tinkling  falls  of  water  conducted  under  the  pave 
ment  through  pipes  and  channels  to  supply  the  fountains ; 
but  I  was  too  considerate  to  intimate  such  an  idea  to  the 
humble  chronicler  of  the  Alhambra. 

Encouraged  by  my  easy  credulity,  Mateo  gave  me  the  follow 
ing  as  an  undoubted  fact,  which  he  had  from  his  grandfather : 

There  was  once  an  invalid  soldier,  who  had  charge  of  the 
Alhambra  to  show  it  to  strangers ;  as  he  was  one  evening, 
about  twilight,  passing  through  the  Court  of  Lions,  he  heard 
footsteps  on  the  Hall  of  the  Abencerrages  ;  supposing  some 
strangers  to  be  lingering  there,  he  advanced  to  attend  upon 
them,  when  to  his  astonishment  he  beheld  four  Moors  richly 
dressed,  with  gilded  cuirasses  and  cimeters,  and  poniards  glit 
tering  with  precious  stones.  They  were  walking  to  and  fro, 
with  solemn  pace ;  but  paused  and  beckoned  to  him.  The 
old  soldier,  however,  took  to  flight,  and  could  never  after 
wards  be  prevailed  upon  to  enter  the  Alhambra.  Thus  it  is 
that  men  sometimes  turn  their  backs  upon  fortune ;  for  it  is 
the  firm  opinion  of  Mateo,  that  the  Moors  intended  to  reveal 
the  place  where  their  treasures  lay  buried.  A  successor  to  the 
invalid  soldier  was  more  knowing ;  he  came  to  the  Alhambra 
poor ;  but  at  the  end  of  a  year  went  off  to  Malaga,  bought 
houses,  set  up  a  carriage,  and  still  lives  there,  one  of  the 
richest  as  well  as  oldest  men  of  the  place ;  all  which,  Mateo 
sagely  surmised,  was  in  consequence  of  his  finding  out  the 
golden  secret  of  these  phantom  Moors. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

I  now  perceived  I  had  made  an  invaluable  acquaintance  in 
this  son  of  the  Alhambra,  one  who  knew  all  the  apocryphal 
history  of  the  place,  and  firmly  believed  in  it,  and  whose 
memory  was  stuffed  with  a  kind  of  knowledge  for  which  I 
have  a  lurking  fancy,  but  which  is  too  apt  to  be  considered 
rubbish  by  less  indulgent  philosophers.  I  determined  to 
cultivate  the  acquaintance  of  this  learned  Theban. 

Immediately  opposite  the  Hall  of  the  Abencerrages,  a  por 
tal,  richly  adorned,  leads  into  a  hall  of  less  tragical  associations. 
It  is  light  and  lofty,  exquisitely  graceful  in  its  architecture, 
paved  with  white  marble,  and  bears  the  suggestive  name  of 
the  Hall  of  the  Two  Sisters. 

On  each  side  of  this  hall  are  recesses  or  alcoves  for  otto 
mans  and  couches,  on  which  the  voluptuous  lords  of  the 
Alhambra  indulged  in  that  dreamy  repose  so  dear  to  the 
Orientalists.  A  cupola  or  lantern  admits  a  tempered  light 
from  above  and  a  free  circulation  of  air ;  while  on  one  side 
is  heard  the  refreshing  sound  of  waters  from  the  Fountain 
of  the  Lions,  and  on  the  other  side  the  soft  plash  from  the 
basin  in  the  garden  of  Lindaraxa. 

An  abundant  supply  of  water,  brought  from  the  mountains 
by  old  Moorish  aqueducts,  circulates  throughout  the  palace, 
supplying  its  baths  and  fish-pools,  sparkling  in  jets  within  its 
halls  or  murmuring  in  channels  along  the  marble  pavements. 
When  it  has  paid  its  tribute  to  the  royal  pile,  and  visited  its 
gardens  and  parterres,  it  flows  down  the  long  avenue  leading 
to  the  city,  tinkling  in  rills,  gushing  in  fountains,  and  main 
taining  a  perpetual  verdure  in  those  groves  that  embower 
and  beautify  the  whole  hill  of  the  Alhambra. 

Those  only  who  have  sojourned  in  the  ardent  climates  of 
the  South  can  appreciate  the  delights  of  an  abode  combining 


PALACE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

the  breezy  coolness  of  the  mountain  with  the  freshness  and 
verdure  of  the  valley.  While  the  city  below  pants  with  the 
noontide  heat,  and  the  parched  vega  trembles  to  the  eye,  the 
delicate  airs  from  the  Sierra  Nevada  play  through  these  lofty 
halls,  bringing  with  them  the  sweetness  of  the  surrounding 
gardens.  Everything  invites  to  that  indolent  repose,  the 
bliss  of  southern  climes  ;  and  while  the  half-shut  eye  looks 
out  from  shaded  balconies  upon  the  glittering  landscape,  the 
ear  is  lulled  by  the  rustling  of  groves  and  the  murmur  of 
running  streams. 

I  forbear  for  the  present,  however,  to  describe  the  other 
delightful  apartments  of  the  palace.  My  object  is  merely  to 
give  the  reader  a  general  introduction  into  an  abode  where, 
if  so  disposed,  he  may  linger  and  loiter  with  me  day  by  day 
until  we  gradually  become  familiar  with  all  its  localities. 


[53] 


IMPORTANT  NEGOTIATIONS.  — THE  AUTHOR 
SUCCEEDS  TO  THE  THRONE  OF  BOABDIL 

THE  day  was  nearly  spent  before  we  could  tear  ourself 
from  this  region  of  poetry  and  romance  to  descend  to 
the  city  and  return  to  the  forlorn  realities  of  a  Spanish 
posada.  In  a  visit  of  ceremony  to  the  Governor  of  the  Al- 
hambra,  to  whom  we  had  brought  letters,  we  dwelt  with  en 
thusiasm  on  the  scenes  we  had  witnessed,  and  could  not  but 
express  surprise  that  he  should  reside  in  the  city  when  he 
had  such  a  paradise  at  his  command.  He  pleaded  the  incon 
venience  of  a  residence  in  the  palace  from  its  situation  on 
the  crest  of  a  hill,  distant  from  the  seat  of  business  and  the 
resorts  of  social  intercourse.  It  did  very  well  for  monarchs, 
who  often  had  need  of  castle  walls  to  defend  them  from  their 
own  subjects.  "But,  senors,"  added  he,  smiling,  "if  you 
think  a  residence  there  so  desirable,  my  apartments  in  the 
Alhambra  are  at  your  service." 

[54] 


IMPORTANT    NEGOTIATIONS 

It  is  a  common  and  almost  indispensable  point  of  polite 
ness  in  a  Spaniard,  to  tell  you  his  house  is  yours.  "  Esta  casa 
es  siempre  a  la  disposition  de  Vm"  —  "  This  house  is  always 
at  the  command  of  your  Grace."  In  fact,  anything  of  his 
which  you  admire,  is  immediately  offered  to  you.  It  is  equally 
a  mark  of  good  breeding  in  you  not  to  accept  it ;  so  we  merely 
bowed  our  acknowledgments  of  the  courtesy  of  the  Governor 
in  offering  us  a  royal  palace.  We  were  mistaken,  however. 
The  Governor  was  in  earnest.  "  You  will  find  a  rambling  set 
of  empty,  unfurnished  rooms,"  said  he ;  "  but  Tia  Antonia, 
who  has  charge  of  the  palace,  may  be  able  to  put  them  in 
some  kind  of  order,  and  to  take  care  of  you  while  you  are 
there.  If  you  can  make  any  arrangement  with  her  for  your 
accommodation,  and  are  content  with  scanty  fare  in  a  royal 
abode,  the  palace  of  King  Chico  is  at  your  service." 

We  took  the  Governor  at  his  word,  and  hastened  up  the 
steep  Calle  de  los  Gomeres,  and  through  the  Great  Gate  of 
Justice,  to  negotiate  with  Dame  Antonia,  —  doubting  at  times 
if  this  were  not  a  dream,  and  fearing  at  times  that  the  sage 
Duena'oi  the  fortress  might  be  slow  to  capitulate.  We  knew 
we  had  one  friend  at  least  in  the  garrison  who  would  be  in 
our  favor,  the  bright-eyed  little  Dolores,  whose  good  graces 
we  had  propitiated  on  our  first  visit,  and  who  hailed  our 
return  to  the  palace  with  her  brightest  looks. 

All,  however,  went  smoothly.  The  good  Tia  Antonia  had 
a  little  furniture  to  put  in  the  rooms,  but  it  was  of  the 
commonest  kind.  We  assured  her  we  could  bivouac  on  the 
floor.  She  could  supply  our  table,  but  only  in  her  own  sim 
ple  way  ;  —  we  wanted  nothing  better.  Her  niece,  Dolores, 
would  wait  upon  us ;  and  at  the  word  we  threw  up  our  hats 
and  the  bargain  was  complete. 

[55] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  very  next  day  we  took  up  our  abode  in  the  palace,  and 
never  did  sovereigns  share  a  divided  throne  with  more  per 
fect  harmony.  Several  days  passed  by  like  a  dream,  when  my 
worthy  associate,  being  summoned  to  Madrid  on  diplomatic 
duties,  was  compelled  to  abdicate,  leaving  me  sole  monarch 
of  this  shadowy  realm.  For  myself,  being  in  a  manner  a  hap 
hazard  loiterer  about  the  world,  and  prone  to  linger  in  its 
pleasant  places,  here  have  I  been  suffering  day  by  day  to  steal 
away  unheeded,  spellbound,  for  aught  I  know,  in  this  old  en 
chanted  pile.  Having  always  a  companionable  feeling  for  my 
reader,  and  being  prone  to  live  with  him  on  confidential  terms, 
I  shall  make  it  a  point  to  communicate  to  him  my  reveries 
and  researches  during  this  state  of  delicious  thraldom.  If 
they  have  the  power  of  imparting  to  his  imagination  any 
of  the  witching  charms  of  the  place,  he  will  not  repine  at 
lingering  with  me  for  a  season  in  the  legendary  halls  of 
the  Alhambra. 

And  first  it  is  proper  to  give  him  some  idea  of  my  domestic 
arrangements  ;  they  are  rather  of  a  simple  kind  for  the  occu 
pant  of  a  regal  palace ;  but  I  trust  they  will  be  less  liable  to 
disastrous  reverses  than  those  of  my  royal  predecessors. 

My  quarters  are  at  one  end  of  the  Governor's  apartment, 
a  suite  of  empty  chambers,  in  front  of  the  palace,  looking  out 
upon  the  great  esplanade  called  la  Plaza  de  los  Al jibes  (the 
Place  of  the  Cisterns) ;  the  apartment  is  modern,  but  the  end 
opposite  to  my  sleeping-room  communicates  with  a  cluster  of 
little  chambers,  partly  Moorish,  partly  Spanish,  allotted  to  the 
chatelaine  Dona  Antonia  and  her  family.  In  consideration 
of  keeping  the  palace  in  order,  the  good  dame  is  allowed 
all  the  perquisites  received  from  visitors,  and  all  the  produce 
of  the  gardens,  excepting  that  she  is  expected  to  pay  an 

[56] 


<        .„,„. 
.^..— *"*** 


K    i 


*^*<^, 


THE   LION   FOUNTAIN  — COURT  OF   LIONS 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

occasional  tribute  of  fruits  and  flowers  to  the  Governor.  Her 
family  consists  of  a  nephew  and  niece,  the  children  of  two 
different  brothers.  The  nephew,  Manuel  Molina,  is  a  young 
man  of  sterling  worth  and  Spanish  gravity.  He  had  served 
in  the  army,  both  in  Spain  and  the  West  Indies,  but  is  now 
studying  medicine  in  the  hope  of  one  day  or  other  becoming 
physician  to  the  fortress,  a  post  worth  at  least  one  hundred 
and  forty  dollars  a  year.  The  niece  is  the  plump  little  black- 
eyed  Dolores  already  mentioned,  and  who,  it  is  said,  will  one 
day  inherit  all  her  aunt's  possessions,  consisting  of  certain 
petty  tenements  in  the  fortress,  in  a  somewhat  ruinous  con 
dition  it  is  true,  but  which,  I  am  privately  assured  by  Mateo 
Ximenes,  yield  a  revenue  of  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars ;  so  that  she  is  quite  an  heiress  in  the  eyes  of  the 
ragged  son  of  the  Alhambra.  I  am  also  informed  by  the  same 
observant  and  authentic  personage,  that  a  quiet  courtship  is 
going  on  between  the  discreet  Manuel  and  his  bright-eyed 
cousin,  and  that  nothing  is  wanting  to  enable  them  to  join 
their  hands  and  expectations  but  his  doctor's  diploma,  and  a 
dispensation  from  the  Pope  on  account  of  their  consanguinity. 
The  good  dame  Antonia  fulfils  faithfully  her  contract  in 
regard  to  my  board  and  lodging,  and  as  I  am  easily  pleased  I 
find  my  fare  excellent ;  while  the  merry-hearted  little  Dolores 
keeps  my  apartment  in  order,  and  officiates  as  handmaid  at 
meal-times.  I  have  also  at  my  command  a  tall,  stuttering, 
yellow-haired  lad,  named  Pepe,  who  works  in  the  gardens, 
and  would  fain  have  acted  as  valet,  but  in  this  he  was  fore 
stalled  by  Mateo  Ximenes,  the  "son  of  the  Alhambra."  This 
alert  and  officious  wight  has  managed,  somehow  or  other,  to 
stick  by  me  ever  since  I  first  encountered  him  at  the  outer 
gate  of  the  fortress,  and  to  weave  himself  into  all  my  plans, 

[58] 


IMPORTANT    NEGOTIATIONS 

until  he  has  fairly  appointed  and  installed  himself  my  valet, 
cicerone,  guide,  guard,  and  historiographic  squire,  and  I  have 
been  obliged  to  improve  the  state  of  his  wardrobe,  that  he 
may  not  disgrace  his  various  functions ;  so  that  he  has  cast 
his  old  brown  mantle,  as  a  snake  does  his  skin,  and  now 
appears  about  the  fortress  with  a  smart  Andalusian  hat  and 
jacket,  to  his  infinite  satisfaction,  and  the  great  astonishment 
of  his  comrades.  The  chief  fault  of  honest  Mateo  is  an  over- 
anxiety  to  be  useful.  Conscious  of  having  foisted  himself  into 
my  employ,  and  that  my  simple  and  quiet  habits  render  his 
situation  a  sinecure,  he  is  at  his  wit's  ends  to  devise  modes 
of  making  himself  important  to  my  welfare.  I  am  in  a  man 
ner  the  victim  of  his  officiousness  ;  I  cannot  put  my  foot  over 
the  threshold  of  the  palace,  to  stroll  about  the  fortress,  but 
he  is  at  my  elbow,  to  explain  everything  I  see ;  and  if  I  ven 
ture  to  ramble  among  the  surrounding  hills,  he  insists  upon 
attending  me  as  a  guard,  though  I  vehemently  suspect  he 
would  be  more  apt  to  trust  to  the  length  of  his  legs  than  the 
strength  of  his  arms,  in  case  of  attack.  After  all,  however, 
the  poor  fellow  is  at  times  an  amusing  companion  ;  he  is 
simple-minded  and  of  infinite  good  humor,  with  the  loquacity 
and  gossip  of  a  village  barber,  and  knows  all  the  small-talk 
of  the  place  and  its  environs  ;  but  what  he  chiefly  values  him 
self  on  is  his  stock  of  local  information,  having  the  most 
marvellous  stories  to  relate  of  every  tower,  and  vault,  and 
gateway  of  the  fortress,  in  all  of  which  he  places  the  most 
implicit  faith. 

Most  of  these  he  has  derived,  according  to  his  own  account, 
from  his  grandfather,  a  little  legendary  tailor,  who  lived  to 
the  age  of  nearly  a  hundred  years,  during  which  he  made  but 
two  migrations  beyond  the  precincts  of  the  fortress.  His  shop, 

[59] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

for  the  greater  part  of  a  century,  was  the  resort  of  a  knot  of 
venerable  gossips,  where  they  would  pass  half  the  night  talk 
ing  about  old  times,  and  the  wonderful  events  and  hidden 
secrets  of  the  place.  The  whole  living,  moving,  thinking, 
and  acting  of  this  historical  little  tailor  had  thus  been  bounded 
by  the  walls  of  the  Alhambra  ;  within  them  he  had  been  born, 
within  them  he  lived,  breathed,  and  had  his  being ;  within 
them  he  died  and  was  buried.  Fortunately  for  posterity  his  tra 
ditionary  lore  died  not  with  him.  The  authentic  Mateo,  when 
an  urchin,  used  to  be  an  attentive  listener  to  the  narratives  of 
his  grandfather,  and  of  the  gossiping  group  assembled  round 
the  shopboard,  and  is  thus  possessed  of  a  stock  of  valuable 
knowledge  concerning  the  Alhambra,  not  to  be  found  in  books, 
and  well  worthy  the  attention  of  every  curious  traveller. 

Such  are  the  personages  that  constitute  my  regal  house 
hold  ;  and  I  question  whether  any  of  the  potentates,  Moslem 
or  Christian,  who  have  preceded  me  in  the  palace,  have  been 
waited  upon  with  greater  fidelity,  or  enjoyed  a  serener  sway. 

When  I  rise  in  the  morning,  Pepe,  the  stuttering  lad  from 
the  gardens,  brings  me  a  tribute  of  fresh-culled  flowers,  which 
are  afterwards  arranged  in  vases  by  the  skilful  hand  of  Dolores, 
who  takes  a  feminine  pride  in  the  decoration  of  my  chambers. 
My  meals  are  made  wherever  caprice  dictates  ;  sometimes  in 
one  of  the  Moorish  halls,  sometimes  under  the  arcades  of  the 
Court  of  Lions,  surrounded  by  flowers  and  fountains  ;  and 
when  I  walk  out  I  am  conducted  by  the  assiduous  Mateo  to 
the  most  romantic  retreats  of  the  mountains,  and  delicious 
haunts  of  the  adjacent  valleys,  not  one  of  which  but  is  the 
scene  of  some  wonderful  tale. 

Though  fond  of  passing  the  greater  part  of  my  day  alone, 
yet  I  occasionally  repair  in  the  evenings  to  the  little  domestic 

[60] 


IMPORTANT    NEGOTIATIONS 

circle  of  Dona  Antonia.  This  is  generally  held  in  an  old 
Moorish  chamber,  which  serves  the  good  dame  for  parlor, 
kitchen,  and  hall  of  audience,  and  which  must  have  boasted 
of  some  splendor  in  the  time  of  the  Moors,  if  we  may  judge 
from  the  traces  yet  remaining ;  but  a  rude  fireplace  has  been 
made  in  modern  times  in  one  corner,  the  smoke  from  which 
has  discolored  the  walls  and  almost  obliterated  the  ancient 
arabesques.  A  window,  with  a  balcony  overhanging  the 
valley  of  the  Darro,  lets  in  the  cool  evening  breeze ;  and 
here  I  take  my  frugal  supper  of  fruit  and  milk,  and  mingle 
with  the  conversation  of  the  family.  There  is  a  natural  talent 
or  mother-wit,  as  it  is  called,  about  the  Spaniards,  which 
renders  them  intellectual  and  agreeable  companions,  what 
ever  may  be  their  condition  in  life,  or  however  imperfect 
may  have  been  their  education ;  add  to  this,  they  are  never 
vulgar ;  nature  has  endowed  them  with  an  inherent  dignity 
of  spirit.  The  good  Tia  Antonia  is  a  woman  of  strong  and 
intelligent,  though  uncultivated  mind ;  and  the  bright-eyed 
Dolores,  though  she  has  read  but  three  or  four  books  in  the 
whole  course  of  her  life,  has  an  engaging  mixture  of  naivete 
and  good  sense,  and  often  surprises  me  by  the  pungency  of 
her  artless  sallies.  Sometimes  the  nephew  entertains  us  by 
reading  some  old  comedy  of  Calderon  or  Lope  de  Vega,  to 
which  he  is  evidently  prompted  by  a  desire  to  improve  as 
well  as  amuse  his  cousin  Dolores ;  though,  to  his  great  mor 
tification,  the  little  damsel  generally  falls  asleep  before  the 
first  act  is  completed.  Sometimes  Tia  Antonia  has  a  little 
levee  of  humble  friends  and  dependants,  the  inhabitants  of 
the  adjacent  hamlet,  or  the  wives  of  the  invalid  soldiers. 
These  look  up  to  her  with  great  deference,  as  the  custodian 
of  the  palace,  and  pay  their  court  to  her  by  bringing  the 

[61] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

news  of  the  place,  or  the  rumors  that  may  have  straggled  up 
from  Granada.  In  listening  to  these  evening  gossipings  I 
have  picked  up  many  curious  facts  illustrative  of  the  manners 
of  the  people  and  the  peculiarities  of  the  neighborhood. 

These  are  simple  details  of  simple  pleasures ;  it  is  the 
nature  of  the  place  alone  that  gives  them  interest  and  im 
portance.  I  tread  haunted  ground,  and  am  surrounded  by 
romantic  associations.  From  earliest  boyhood,  when,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hudson,  I  first  pored  over  the  pages  of  old 
Gines  Perez  de  Hita's  apocryphal  but  chivalresque  history  of 
the  civil  wars  of  Granada,  and  the  feuds  of  its  gallant  cava 
liers,  the  Zegris  and  Abencerrages,  that  city  has  ever  been 
a  subject  of  my  waking  dreams  ;  and  often  have  I  trod  in 
fancy  the  romantic  halls  of  the  Alhambra.  Behold  for  once 
a  day-dream  realized ;  yet  I  can  scarce  credit  my  senses,  or 
believe  that  I  do  indeed  inhabit  the  palace  of  Boabdil,  and 
look  down  from  its  balconies  upon  chivalric  Granada.  As  I 
loiter  through  these  Oriental  chambers,  and  hear  the  mur 
mur  of  fountains  and  the  song  of  the  nightingale  ;  as  I  in 
hale  the  odor  of  the  rose,  and  feel  the  influence  of  the  balmy 
climate,  I  am  almost  tempted  to  fancy  myself  in  the  paradise 
of  Mahomet,  and  that  the  plump  little  Dolores  is  one  of  the 
bright-eyed  houries,  destined  to  administer  to  the  happiness 
of  true  believers. 


INHABITANTS  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA 

I  HAVE  often  observed  that  the  more  proudly  a  mansion 
has  been  tenanted  in  the  day  of  its  prosperity,  the  hum 
bler  are  its  inhabitants  in  the  day  of  its  decline,  and  that 
the  palace  of  a  king  commonly  ends  in  being  the  nestling- 
place  of  the  beggar. 

The  Alhambra  is  in  a  rapid  state  of  similar  transition. 
Whenever  a  tower  falls  to  decay,  it  is  seized  upon  by  some 
tatterdemalion  family,  who  become  joint-tenants,  with  the 
bats  and  owls,  of  its  gilded  halls  ;  and  hang  their  rags,  those 
standards  of  poverty,  out  of  its  windows  and  loopholes. 

I  have  amused  myself  with  remarking  some  of  the  motley 
characters  that  have  thus  usurped  the  ancient  abode  of  royalty, 
and  who  seem  as  if  placed  here  to  give  a  farcical  termination 
to  the  drama  of  human  pride.  One  of  these  even  bears  the 
mockery  of  a  regal  title.  It  is  a  little  old  woman  named  Maria 

[63] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

" 
Antonia  Sabonea,  but  who  goes  by  the  appellation  of 

Coquina,  or  the  Cockle-queen.  She  is  small  enough  to  b$  a 
fairy ;  and  a  fairy  she  may  be  for  aught  I  can  find  out,  for 
no  one  seems  to  know  her  origin.  Her  habitation  is  in  a  kind 
of  closet  under  the  outer  staircase  of  the  palace,  and  she  sits 
in  the  cool  stone  corridor,  plying  her  needle  and  singing  from 
morning  till  night,  with  a  ready  joke  for  every  one  that  passes  ; 
for  though  one  of  the  poorest,  she  is  one  of  the  merriest  little 
women  breathing.  Her  great  merit  is  a  gift  for  story-telling, 
having,  I  verily  believe,  as  many  stories  at  her  command  as 
the  inexhaustible  Scheherazade  of  the  Thousand  and  One 
Nights.  Some  of  these  I  have  heard  her  relate  in  the  eve 
ning  tertulias  of  Dame  Antonia,  at  which  she  is  occasionally 
a  humble  attendant. 

That  there  must  be  some  fairy  gift  about  this  mysterious 
little  old  woman,  would  appear  from  her  extraordinary  luck, 
since,  notwithstanding  her  being  very  little,  very  ugly,  and 
very  poor,  she  has  had,  according  to  her  own  account,  five 
husbands  and  a  half,  reckoning  as  a  half  one  a  young  dra 
goon,  who  died  during  courtship.  A  rival  personage  to  this 
little  fairy  queen  is  a  portly  old  fellow  with  a  bottle-nose,  who 
goes  about  in  a  rusty  garb,  with  a  cocked  hat  of  oilskin  and 
a  red  cockade.  He  is  one  of  the  legitimate  sons  of  the  Al- 
hambra,  and  has  lived  here  all  his  life,  filling  various  offices, 
such  as  deputy  alguasil,  sexton  of  the  parochial  church,  and 
marker  of  a  fives-court,  established  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the 
towers.  He  is  as  poor  as  a  rat,  but  as  proud  as  he  is  ragged, 
boasting  of  his  descent  from  the  illustrious  house  of  Aguilar, 
from  which  sprang  Gonzalvo  of  Cordova,  the  grand  captain. 
Nay,  he  actually  bears  the  name  of  Alonzo  de  Aguilar,  so 
renowned  in  the  history  of  the  Conquest.  It  is  a  whimsical 

[64] 


INHABITANTS    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

caprice  of  fortune  to  present,  in  the  grotesque  person  of  this 
tatterdemalion,  a  namesake  and  descendant  of  the  proud 
Alonzo  de  Aguilar,  the  mirror  of  Andalusian  chivalry,  lead 
ing  an  almost  mendicant  existence  about  this  once  haughty 
fortress,  which  his  ancestor  aided  to  reduce  ;  yet  such  might 
have  been  the  lot  of  the  descendants  of  Agamemnon  and 
Achilles,  had  they  lingered  about  the  ruins  of  Troy! 

Of  this  motley  community,  I  find  the  family  of  my  gos 
siping  squire,  Mateo  Ximenes,  to  form,  from  their  numbers 
at  least,  a  very  important  part.  His  boast  of  being  a  son  of 
the  Alhambra  is  not  unfounded.  His  family  has  inhabited 
the  fortress  ever  since  the  time  of  the  Conquest,  handing 
down  an  hereditary  poverty  from  father  to  son  ;  not  one  of 
them  having  ever  been  known  to  be  worth  a  maravedi.  His 
father,  by  trade  a  ribbon-weaver,  and  who  succeeded  the  his 
torical  tailor  as  the  head  of  the  family,  is  now  near  seventy 
years  of  age,  and  lives  in  a  hovel  of  reeds  and  plaster,  built 
by  his  own  hands,  just  above  the  iron  gate.  The  furniture 
consists  of  a  crazy  bed,  a  table,  and  two  or  three  chairs ;  a 
wooden  chest,  containing,  besides  his  scanty  clothing,  the 
"archives  of  the  family."  These  are  nothing  more  nor  less 
than  the  papers  of  various  lawsuits  sustained  by  different 
generations ;  by  which  it  would  seem  that,  with  all  their 
apparent  carelessness  and  good  humor,  they  are  a  litigious 
brood.  Most  of  the  suits  have  been  brought  against  gossip 
ing  neighbors  for  questioning  the  purity  of  their  blood,  and 
denying  their  being  Cristianos  viejos ;  i.e.  old  Christians, 
without  Jewish  or  Moorish  taint.  In  fact,  I  doubt  whether 
this  jealousy  about  their  blood  has  not  kept  them  so  poor  in 
purse  :  spending  all  their  earnings  on  escribanos  and  algua- 
zils.  The  pride  of  the  hovel  is  an  escutcheon  suspended 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

against  the  wall,  in  which  are  emblazoned  quarterings  of  the 
arms  of  the  Marquis  of  Caiesedo,  and  of  various  other  noble 
houses,  with  which  this  poverty-stricken  brood  claim  affinity. 

As  to  Mateo  himself,  who  is  now  about  thirty-five  years  of 
age,  he  has  done  his  utmost  to  perpetuate  his  line  and  con 
tinue  the  poverty  of  the  family,  having  a  wife  and  a  numer 
ous  progeny,  who  inhabit  an  almost  dismantled  hovel  in  the 
hamlet.  How  they  manage  to  subsist,  He  only  who  sees  into 
all  mysteries  can  tell ;  the  subsistence  of  a  Spanish  family  of 
the  kind  is  always  a  riddle  to  me  ;  yet  they  do  subsist,  and, 
what  is  more,  appear  to  enjoy  their  existence.  The  wife  takes 
her  holiday  stroll  on  the  Paseo  of  Granada,  with  a  child  in  her 
arms  and  half  a  dozen  at  her  heels  ;  and  the  eldest  daughter, 
now  verging  into  womanhood,  dresses  her  hair  with  flowers, 
and  dances  gayly  to  the  castanets. 

There  are  two  classes  of  people  to  whom  life  seems  one 
long  holiday,  the  very  rich  and  the  very  poor :  one,  because 
they  need  do  nothing ;  the  other,  because  they  have  nothing 
to  do ;  but  there  are  none  who  understand  the  art  of  doing 
nothing  and  living  upon  nothing,  better  than  the  poor  classes 
of  Spain.  Climate  does  one  half,  and  temperament  the  rest. 
Give  a  Spaniard  the  shade  in  summer  and  the  sun  in  winter, 
a  little  bread,  garlic,  oil,  and  garbanzos,  an  old  brown  cloak 
and  a  guitar,  and  let  the  world  roll  on  as  it  pleases.  Talk  of 
poverty !  with  him  it  has  no  disgrace.  It  sits  upon  him  with 
a  grandiose  style,  like  his  ragged  cloak.  He  is  a  hidalgo,  even 
when  in  rags. 

The  "  sons  of  the  Alhambra  "  are  an  eminent  illustration 
of  this  practical  philosophy.  As  the  Moors  imagined  that  the 
celestial  paradise  hung  over  this  favored  spot,  so  I  am  inclined 
at  times  to  fancy  that  a  gleam  of  the  golden  age  still  lingers 

[66] 


INHABITANTS    OF    THE   ALHAMBRA 

about  this  ragged  community.  They  possess  nothing,  they 
do  nothing,  they  care  for  nothing.  Yet,  though  apparently 
idle  all  the  week,  they  are  as  observant  of  all  holy  days  and 
saints'  days  as  the  most  laborious  artisan.  They  attend  all 
fetes  and  dancings  in  Granada  and  its  vicinity,  light  bonfires 
on  the  hills  on  St.  John's  eve,  and  dance  away  the  moonlight 
nights  on  the  harvest-home  of  a  small  field  within  the  precincts 
of  the  fortress,  which  yield  a  few  bushels  of  wheat. 

Before  concluding  these  remarks,  I  must  mention  one  of 
the  amusements  of  the  place,  which  has  particularly  struck 
me.  I  had  repeatedly  observed  a  long  lean  fellow  perched 
on  the  top  of  one  of  the  towers,  manoeuvring  two  or  three 
fishing-rods,  as  though  he  were  angling  for  the  stars.  I  was 
for  some  time  perplexed  by  the  evolutions  of  this  aerial  fish 
erman,  and  my  perplexity  increased  on  observing  others  em 
ployed  in  like  manner  on  different  parts  of  the  battlements 
and  bastions ;  it  was  not  until  I  consulted  Mateo  Ximenes 
that  I  solved  the  mystery. 

It  seems  that  the  pure  and  airy  situation  of  this  fortress 
has  rendered  it,  like  the  castle  of  Macbeth,  a  prolific  breeding- 
place  for  swallows  and  martlets,  who  sport  about  its  towers 
in  myriads,  with  the  holiday  glee  of  urchins  just  let  loose 
from  school.  To  entrap  these  birds  in  their  giddy  circlings, 
with  hooks  baited  with  flies,  is  one  of  the  favorite  amuse 
ments  of  the  ragged  "  sons  of  the  Alhambra,"  who,  with  the 
good-for-nothing  ingenuity  of  arrant  idlers,  have  thus  invented 
the  art  of  angling  in  the  sky. 


[67] 


THE  HALL  OF  AMBASSADORS 

IN  ONE  of  my  visits  to  the  old  Moorish  chamber  where 
the  good  Tia  Antonia  cooks  her  dinner  and  receives  her 
company,  I  observed  a  mysterious  door  in  one  corner, 
leading  apparently  into  the  ancient  part  of  the  edifice.  My 
curiosity  being  aroused,  I  opened  it,  and  found  myself  in  a 
narrow,  blind  corridor,  groping  along  which  I  came  to  the 
head  of  a  dark  winding  staircase,  leading  down  an  angle  of 
the  Tower  of  Comares.  Down  this  staircase  I  descended 
darkling,  guiding  myself  by  the  wall  until  I  came  to  a  small 
door  at  the  bottom,  throwing  which  open,  I  was  suddenly 
dazzled  by  emerging  into  the  brilliant  antechamber  of  the 
Hall  of  Ambassadors  ;  with  the  fountain  of  the  Court  of  the 
Alberca  sparkling  before  me.  The  antechamber  is  separated 
from  the  court  by  an  elegant  gallery,  supported  by  slender 

[68] 


THE    HALL    OF   AMBASSADORS 

columns  with  spandrels  of  open  work  in  the  Morisco  style. 
At  each  end  of  the  antechamber  are  alcoves,  and  its  ceiling 
is  richly  stuccoed  and  painted.  Passing  through  a  magnifi- 
cent  portal,  I  found  myself  in  the  far-famed  Hall  of  Ambas 
sadors,  the  audience  chamber  of  the  Moslem  monarchs.  It 
is  said  to  be  thirty-seven  feet  square  and  sixty  feet  high  ; 
occupies  the  whole  interior  of  the  Tower  of  Comares ;  and 
still  bears  the  traces  of  past  magnificence.  The  walls  are 
beautifully  stuccoed  and  decorated  with  Morisco  fanciful- 
ness  ;  the  lofty  ceiling  was  originally  of  the  same  favorite 
material,  with  the  usual  frostwork  and  pensile  ornaments  or 
stalactites ;  which,  with  the  embellishments  of  vivid  color 
ing  and  gilding,  must  have  been  gorgeous  in  the  extreme. 
Unfortunately,  it  gave  way  (Curing  an  earthquake,  and  brought 
down  with  it  an  immense  arch  which  traversed  the  hall. 
It  was  replaced  by  the  present  vault  or  dome  of  larch  or 
cedar,  with  intersecting  ribs,  the  whole  curiously  wrought 
and  richly  colored  ;  still  Oriental  in  its  character,  reminding 
one  of  "  those  ceilings  of  cedar  and  vermilion  that  we  read 
of  in  the  Prophets  and  the  Arabian  Nights." 

From  the  great  height  of  the  vault  above  the  windows,  the 
upper  part  of  the  hall  is  almost  lost  in  obscurity  ;  yet  there  is 
a  magnificence  as  well  as  solemnity  in  the  gloom,  as  through 
it  we  have  gleams  of  rich  gilding  and  the  brilliant  tints  of  the 
Moorish  pencil. 

The  royal  throne  was  placed  opposite  the  entrance  in 
a  recess,  which  still  bears  an  inscription  intimating  that 
Yusef  I  (the  monarch  who  completed  the  Alhambra)  made 
this  the  throne  of  his  empire.  Everything  in  this  noble  hall 
seems  to  have  been  calculated  to  surround  the  throne  with  im 
pressive  dignity  and  splendor  ;  there  was  none  of  the  elegant 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

voluptuousness  which  reigns  in  other  parts  of  the  palace. 
The  tower  is  of  massive  strength,  domineering  over  the  whole 
edifice  and  overhanging  the  steep  hillside.  On  three  sides 
of  the  Hall  of  Ambassadors  are  windows  cut  through  the 
immense  thickness  of  the  walls  and  commanding  extensive 
prospects.  The  balcony  of  the  central  window  especially 
looks  down  upon  the  verdant  valley  of  the  Darro,  with  its 
walks,  its  groves,  and  gardens.  To  the  left  it  enjoys  a  dis 
tant  prospect  of  the  Vega ;  while  directly  in  front  rises  the 
rival  height  of  the  Albaicin,  with  its  medley  of  streets,  and 
terraces,  and  gardens,  and  once  crowned  by  a  fortress  that 
vied  in  power  with  the  Alhambra.  "  111  fated  the  man  who 
lost  all  this  !  "  exclaimed  Charles  V,  as  he  looked  forth  from 
this  window  upon  the  enchanting  scenery  it  commands. 

The  balcony  of  the  window  where  this  royal  exclamation 
was  made,  has  of  late  become  one  of  my  favorite  resorts.  I 
have  just  been  seated  there,  enjoying  the  close  of  a  long  bril 
liant  day.  The  sun,  as  he  sank  behind  the  purple  mountains 
of  Alhama,  sent  a  stream  of  effulgence  up  the  valley  of  the 
Darro,  that  spread  a  melancholy  pomp  over  the  ruddy  towers 
of  the  Alhambra  ;  while  the  Vega,  covered  with  a  slight  sultry 
vapor  that  caught  the  setting  ray,  seemed  spread  out  in  the 
distance  like  a  golden  sea.  Not  a  breath  of  air  disturbed  the 
stillness  of  the  hour,  and  though  the  faint  sound  of  music  and 
merriment  now  and  then  rose  from  the  gardens  of  the  Darro, 
it  but  rendered  more  impressive  the  monumental  silence  of  the 
pile  which  overshadowed  me.  It  was  one  of  those  hours  and 
scenes  in  which  memory  asserts  an  almost  magical  power  ;  and, 
like  the  evening  sun  beaming  on  these  mouldering  towers, 
sends  back  her  retrospective  rays  to  light  up  the  glories  of 
the  past. 


i   i   i 


k    II V1  -I   '*  '«'       .-1— 

i  1.,,  :.,,, M.      :  '-t 


TOWER  OF  COMARES  AND  COURT  OF  MYRTLES 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

As  I  sat  watching  the  effect  of  the  declining  daylight  upon 
this  Moorish  pile,  I  was  led  into  a  consideration  of  the  light, 
elegant,  and  voluptuous  character  prevalent  throughout  its 
internal  architecture,  and  to  contrast  it  with  the  grand  but 
gloomy  solemnity  of  the  Gothic  edifices  reared  by  the  Spanish 
conquerors.  The  very  architecture  thus  bespeaks  the  oppo 
site  and  irreconcilable  natures  of  the  two  warlike  people  who 
so  long  battled  here  for  the  mastery  of  the  Peninsula.  By 
degrees  I  fell  into  a  course  of  musing  upon  the  singular  for 
tunes  of  the  Arabian  or  Morisco-Spaniards,  whose  whole  exist 
ence  is  as  a  tale  that  is  told,  and  certainly  forms  one  of  the 
most  anomalous  yet  splendid  episodes  in  history.  Potent 
and  durable  as  was  their  dominion,  we  scarcely  know  how  to 
call  them.  They  were  a  nation  without  a  legitimate  country 
or  name.  A  remote  wave  of  the  great  Arabian  inundation,  cast 
upon  the  shores  of  Europe,  they  seem  to  have  all  the  impetus 
of  the  first  rush  of  the  torrent.  Their  career  of  conquest,  from 
the  rock  of  Gibraltar  to  the  cliffs  of  the  Pyrenees,  was  as  rapid 
and  brilliant  as  the  Moslem  victories  of  Syria  and  Egypt. 
Nay,  had  they  not  been  checked  on  the  plains  of  Tours,  all 
France,  all  Europe,  might  have  been  overrun  with  the  same 
facility  as  the  empires  of  the  East,  and  the  Crescent  at  this 
day  have  glittered  on  the  fanes  of  Paris  and  London. 

Repelled  within  the  limits  of  the  Pyrenees,  the  mixed 
hordes  of  Asia  and  Africa,  that  formed  this  great  irruption, 
gave  up  the  Moslem  principle  of  conquest,  and  sought  to 
establish  in  Spain  a  peaceful  and  permanent  dominion.  As 
conquerors,  their  heroism  was  only  equalled  by  their  modera 
tion  ;  and  in  both,  for  a  time,  they  excelled  the  nations  with 
whom  they  contended.  Severed  from  their  native  homes, 
they  loved  the  land  given  them  as  they  supposed  by  Allah, 

[72] 


THE    HALL    OF    AMBASSADORS 

and  strove  to  embellish  it  with  everything  that  could  admin 
ister  to  the  happiness  of  man.  Laying  the  foundations  of 
their  power  in  a  system  of  wise  and  equitable  laws,  diligently 
cultivating  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  promoting  agriculture, 
manufactures,  and  commerce,  they  gradually  formed  an  em 
pire  unrivalled  for  its  prosperity  by  any  of  the  empires  of 
Christendom  ;  and  diligently  drawing  round  them  the  graces 
and  refinements  which  marked  the  Arabian  empire  of  the 
East,  at  the  time  of  its  greatest  civilization,  they  diffused  the 
light  of  Oriental  knowledge  through  the  western  regions  of 
benighted  Europe. 

The  cities  of  Arabian  Spain  became  the  resort  of  Christian 
artisans,  to  instruct  themselves  in  the  useful  arts.  The  univer 
sities  of  Toledo,  Cordova,  Seville,  and  Granada  were  sought 
by  the  pale  student  from  other  lands  to  acquaint  himself  with 
the  sciences  of  the  Arabs  and  the  treasured  lore  of  antiquity  ; 
the  lovers  of  the  gay  science  resorted  to  Cordova  and  Granada, 
to  imbibe  the  poetry  and  music  of  the  East ;  and  the  steel-clad 
warriors  of  the  North  hastened  thither  to  accomplish  them 
selves  in  the  graceful  exercises  and  courteous  usages  of  chivalry. 

If  the  Moslem  monuments  in  Spain,  if  the  Mosque  of  Cor 
dova,  the  Alcazar  of  Seville,  and  the  Alhambra  of  Granada, 
still  bear  inscriptions  fondly  boasting  of  the  power  and  per 
manency  of  their  dominion,  can  the  boast  be  derided  as  arro 
gant  and  vain  ?  Generation  after  generation,  century  after 
century,  passed  away,  and  still  they  maintained  possession  of 
the  land.  A  period  elapsed  longer  than  that  which  has  passed 
since  England  was  subjugated  by  the  Norman  Conqueror, 
and  the  descendants  of  Musa  and  Taric  might  as  little  antici 
pate  being  driven  into  exile  across  the  same  straits,  traversed 
by  their  triumphant  ancestors,  as  the  descendants  of  Rollo 

[73] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

and  William  and  their  veteran  peers,  may  dream  of  being 
driven  back  to  the  shores  of  Normandy. 

With  all  this,  however,  the  Moslem  empire  in  Spain  was 
but  a  brilliant  exotic,  that  took  no  permanent  root  in  the  soil 
it  embellished.  Severed  from  all  their  neighbors  in  the  West 
by  impassable  barriers  of  faith  and  manners,  and  separated 
by  seas  and  deserts  from  their  kindred  of  the  East,  the 
Morisco-Spaniards  were  an  isolated  people.  Their  whole  exist 
ence  was  a  prolonged,  though  gallant  and  chivalric,  struggle 
for  a  foothold  in  a  usurped  land. 

They  were  the  outposts  and  frontiers  of  Islamism.  The  Pen 
insula  was  the  great  battle-ground  where  the  Gothic  conquerors 
of  the  North  and  the  Moslem  conquerors  of  the  East  met  and 
strove  for  mastery;  and  the  fiery  courage  of  the  Arab  was  at  length 
subdued  by  the  obstinate  and  persevering  valor  of  the  Goth. 

Never  was  the  annihilation  of  a  people  more  complete  than 
that  of  the  Morisco-Spaniards.  Where  are  they  ?  Ask  the 
shores  of  Barbary  and  its  desert  places.  The  exiled  remnant 
of  their  once  powerful  empire  disappeared  among  the  bar 
barians  of  Africa,  and  ceased  to  be  a  nation.  They  have  not 
even  left  a  distinct  name  behind  them,  though  for  nearly  eight 
centuries  they  were  a  distinct  people.  The  home  of  their 
adoption,  and  of  their  occupation  for  ages,  refuses  to  acknowl 
edge  them,  except  as  invaders  and  usurpers.  A  few  broken 
monuments  are  all  that  remain  to  bear  witness  to  their  power 
and  dominion,  as  solitary  rocks,  left  far  in  the  interior,  bear 
testimony  to  the  extent  of  some  vast  inundation.  Such  is  the 
Alhambra;  —  a  Moslem  pile  in  the  midst  of  a  Christian  land; 
an  Oriental  palace  amidst  the  Gothic  edifices  of  the  West ;  an 
elegant  memento  of  a  brave,  intelligent,  and  graceful  people, 
who  conquered,  ruled,  flourished,  and  passed  away. 

[74] 


'•&'-•< 


THE  JESUITS'   LIBRARY 

iINCE  indulging  in  the  foregoing  reverie,  my  curiosity 
has  been  aroused  to  know  something  of  the  princes 
who  left  behind  them  this  monument  of  Oriental  taste 
and  magnificence,  —  and  whose  names  still  appear  among 
the  inscriptions  on  its  walls.  To  gratify  this  curiosity,  I  have 
descended  from  this  region  of  fancy  and  fable,  where  every 
thing  is  liable  to  take  an  imaginary  tint,  and  have  carried  my 
researches  among  the  dusty  tomes  of  the  old  Jesuits'  Library, 
in  the  University.  This  once  boasted  repository  of  erudition 
is  now  a  mere  shadow  of  its  former  self,  having  been  stripped 
of  its  manuscripts  and  rarest  works  by  the  French,  when 
masters  of  Granada  ;  still  it  contains,  among  many  ponderous 
tomes  of  the  Jesuit  fathers,  which  the  French  were  careful 
to  leave  behind,  several  curious  tracts  of  Spanish  literature ; 
and,  above  all,  a  number  of  those  antiquated  parchment-bound 
chronicles  for  which  I  have  a  particular  veneration. 

In  this  old  library  I  have  passed  many  delightful  hours  of 
quiet,  undisturbed  literary  foraging  ;  for  the  keys  of  the  doors 
and  bookcases  were  kindly  intrusted  to  me,  and  I  was  left 

[75] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

alone,  to  rummage  at  my  pleasure,  — a  rare  indulgence  in  these 
sanctuaries  of  learning,  which  too  often  tantalize  the  thirsty 
student  with  the  sight  of  sealed  fountains  of  knowledge. 

In  the  course  of  these  visits  I  gleaned  a  variety  of  facts 
concerning  historical  characters  connected'  with  the  Alham- 
bra,  some  of  which  I  here  subjoin,  trusting  they  may  prove 
acceptable  to  the  reader. 


[76] 


"^•"•f^*^^-^  ^' ' 

'^j^^4^7^     '^2>  •*"     ' '  ' 

&!l3&»::'\ .  &$r  >' : ' ' ;  •-.  '  • 


V'  - 


?A*4/*-    ***«»<•  -     - 


ALHAMAR,  THE  FOUNDER  OF  THE 
ALHAMBRA 

K — II — ^HE  Moors  of  Granada  regarded  the  Alhambra  as  a 
miracle  of  art,  and  had  a  tradition  that  the  king  who 
Jl     founded  it  dealt  in  magic,  or  at  least  in  alchemy,  by 
means  whereof  he  procured  the  immense  sums  of  gold  ex 
pended  in  its  erection.    A  brief  view  of  his  reign  will  show 
the  secret  of  his  wealth.    He  is  known  in  Arabian  history  as 
Muhamed  Ibn-1-Ahmar ;  but  his  name  in  general  is  written 
simply  Alhamar,  and  was  given  to  him,  we  are  told,  on  account 
of  his  ruddy  complexion. 

He  was  of  the  noble  and  opulent  line  of  the  Beni  Nasar, 
or  tribe  of  Nasar,  and  was  born  in  Arjona,  in  the  year  of  the 
Hegira  592  (A.D.  1195).  At  his  birth  the  astrologers,  we  are 
told,  cast  his  horoscope  according  to  Oriental  custom,  and 
pronounced  it  highly  auspicious;  and  a  santon  predicted  for 

[77] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

him  a  glorious  career.  No  expense  was  spared  in  fitting  him 
for  the  high  destinies  prognosticated.  Before  he  attained  the 
full  years  of  manhood,  the  famous  battle  of  the  Navas  (or 
plains)  of  Tolosa  shattered  the  Moorish  empire,  and  even 
tually  severed  the  Moslems  of  Spain  from  the  Moslems  of 
Africa.  Factions  soon  arose  among  the  former,  headed  by 
warlike  chiefs  ambitious  of  grasping  the  sovereignty  of  the 
Peninsula.  Alhamar  became  engaged  in  these  wars  ;  he  was 
the  general  and  leader  of  the  Beni  Nasar,  and,  as  such,  he 
opposed  and  thwarted  the  ambition  of  Aben  Hud,  who  had 
raised  his  standard  among  the  warlike  mountains  of  the 
Alpuxaras,  and  been  proclaimed  king  of  Murcia  and  Granada. 
Many  conflicts  took  place  between  these  warring  chieftains ; 
Alhamar  dispossessed  his  rival  of  several  important  places, 
and  was  proclaimed  king  of  Jaen  by  his  soldiery ;  but  he 
aspired  to  the  sovereignty  of  the  whole  of  Andalusia,  for  he 
was  of  a  sanguine  spirit  and  lofty  ambition.  His  valor  and 
generosity  went  hand  in  hand  ;  what  he  gained  by  the  one 
he  secured  by  the  other ;  and  at  the  death  of  Aben  Hud 
(A.D.  1238)  he  became  sovereign  of  all  the  territories  which 
owed  allegiance  to  that  powerful  chief.  He  made  his  formal 
entry  into  Granada  in  the  same  year,  amid  the  enthusiastic 
shouts  of  the  multitude,  who  hailed  him  as  the  only  one  capa 
ble  of  uniting  the  various  factions  which  prevailed,  and  which 
threatened  to  lay  the  empire  at  the  mercy  of  the  Christian 
princes. 

Alhamar  established  his  court  in  Granada  ;  he  was  the  first 
of  the  illustrious  line  of  Nasar  that  sat  upon  a  throne.  He 
took  immediate  measures  to  put  his  little  kingdom  in  a  pos 
ture  of  defence  against  the  assaults  to  be  expected  from  his 
Christian  neighbors,  repairing  and  strengthening  the  frontier 


ALHAMAR 

posts  and  fortifying  the  capital.  Not  content  with  the  pro 
visions  of  the  Moslem  law,  by  which  every  man  is  made  a 
soldier,  he  raised  a  regular  army  to  garrison  his  strongholds, 
allowing  every  soldier  stationed  on  the  frontier  a  portion  of 
land  for  the  support  of  himself,  his  horse,  and  his  family,  — 
thus  interesting  him  in  the  defence  of  the  soil  in  which  he 
had  a  property.  These  wise  precautions  were  justified  by 
events.  The  Christians,  profiting  by  the  dismemberment  of 
the  Moslem  power,  were  rapidly  regaining  their  ancient  ter 
ritories.  James  the  Conqueror  had  subjected  all  Valencia, 
and  Ferdinand  the  Saint  sat  down  in  person  before  Jaen, 
the  bulwark  of  Granada.  Alhamar  ventured  to  oppose  him 
in  open  field,  but  met  with  a  signal  defeat,  and  retired  dis 
comfited  to  his  capital.  Jaen  still  held  out,  and  kept  the 
enemy  at  bay  during  an  entire  winter,  but  Ferdinand  swore 
not  to  raise  his  camp  until  he  had  gained  possession  of  the 
place.  Alhamar  found  it  impossible  to  throw  reinforcements 
into  the  besieged  city ;  he  saw  that  its  fall  must  be  followed 
by  the  investment  of  his  capital,  and  was  conscious  of  the 
insufficiency  of  his  means  to  cope  with  the  potent  sovereign 
of  Castile.  Taking  a  sudden  resolution,  therefore,  he  repaired 
privately  to  the  Christian  camp,  made  his  unexpected  appear 
ance  in  the  presence  of  King  Ferdinand,  and  frankly  an 
nounced  himself  as  the  king  of  Granada.  "  I  come,"  said 
he,  "  confiding  in  your  good  faith,  to  put  myself  under  your 
protection.  Take  all  I  possess  and  receive  me  as  your  vassal" ; 
so  saying,  he  knelt  and  kissed  the  king's  hand  in  token  of 
allegiance. 

Ferdinand  was  won  by  this  instance  of  confiding  faith,  and 
determined  not  to  be  outdone  in  generosity.  He  raised  his 
late  enemy  from  the  earth,  embraced  him  as  a  friend,  and 

[79] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

refusing  the  wealth  he  offered,  left  him  sovereign  of  his 
dominions,  under  the  feudal  tenure  of  a  yearly  tribute,  attend 
ance  at  the  Cortes  as  one  of  the  nobles  of  the  empire,  and 
service  in  war  with  a  certain  number  of  horsemen.  He  more 
over  conferred  on  him  the  honor  of  knighthood,  and  armed 
him  with  his  own  hands. 

It  was  not  long  after  this  that  Alhamar  was  called  upon 
for  his  military  services,  to  aid  King  Ferdinand  in  his  famous 
siege  of  Seville.  The  Moorish  king  sallied  forth  with  five 
hundred  chosen  horsemen  of  Granada,  than  whom  none  in 
the  world  knew  better  how  to  manage  the  steed  or  wield  the 
lance.  It  was  a  humiliating  service,  however,  for  they  had 
to  draw  the  sword  against  their  brethren  of  the  faith. 

Alhamar  gained  a  melancholy  distinction  by  his  prowess 
in  this  renowned  conquest,  but  more  true  honor  by  the  human 
ity  which  he  prevailed  upon  Ferdinand  to  introduce  into  the 
usages  of  war.  When  in  1248  the  famous  city  of  Seville 
surrendered  to  the  Castilian  monarch,  Alhamar  returned  sad 
and  full  of  care  to  his  dominions.  He  saw  the  gathering  ills 
that  menaced  the  Moslem  cause  ;  and  uttered  an  ejaculation 
often  used  by  him  in  moments  of  anxiety  and  trouble,  — 
"  How  straitened  and  wretched  would  be  our  life,  if  our 
hope  were  not  so  spacious  and  extensive  !  "  "  Que  angoste 
y  miserabile  seria  nuestra  vida,  sino  fuera  tan  dilatada  y 
espaciosa  nuestra  esperanza  !  " 

As  he  approached  Granada  on  his  return  he  beheld  arches 
of  triumph  which  had  been  erected  in  honor  of  his  martial 
exploits.  The  people  thronged  forth  to  see  him  with  im 
patient  joy,  for  his  benignant  rule  had  won  all  hearts. 
Wherever  he  passed  he  was  hailed  with  acclamations  as 
"El  Ghalib /"  (the  conqueror).  Alhamar  gave  a  melancholy 

[80] 


ALHAMAR 

shake  of  the  head  on  hearing  the  appellation.  "  Wa  le ghalib 
He  Aldh  !  "  (there  is  no  conqueror  but  God)  exclaimed  he. 
From  that  time  forward  this  exclamation  became  his  motto, 
and  the  motto  of  his  descendants,  and  appears  to  this  day 
emblazoned  on  his  escutcheons  in  the  halls  of  the  Alhambra. 
Alhamar  had  purchased  peace  by  submission  to  the  Chris 
tian  yoke  ;  but  he  was  conscious  that,  with  elements  so  dis 
cordant  and  motives  for  hostility  so  deep  and  ancient,  it  could 
not  be  permanent.  Acting,  therefore,  upon  the  old  maxim, 
"Arm  thyself  in  peace  and  clothe  thyself  in  summer,"  he 
improved  the  present  interval  of  tranquillity  by  fortifying  his 
dominions,  replenishing  his  arsenals,  and  promoting  those 
useful  arts  which  give  wealth  and  real  power.  He  confided 
the  command  of  his  various  cities  to  such  as  had  distinguished 
themselves  by  valor  and  prudence,  and  who  seemed  most 
acceptable  to  the  people.  He  organized  a  vigilant  police, 
and  established  rigid  rules  for  the  administration  of  justice. 
The  poor  and  the  distressed  always  found  ready  admission  • 
to  his  presence,  and  he  attended  personally  to  their  assistance 
and  redress.  He  erected  hospitals  for  the  blind,  the  aged, 
and  infirm,  and  all  those  incapable  of  labor,  and  visited  them 
frequently ;  not  on  set  days  with  pomp  and  form,  so  as  to  give 
time  for  everything  to  be  put  in  order,  and  every  abuse  con 
cealed,  but  suddenly  and  unexpectedly,  informing  himself, 
by  actual  observation  and  close  inquiry,  of  the  treatment  of 
the  sick,  and  the  conduct  of  those  appointed  to  administer 
to  their  relief.  He  founded  schools  and  colleges,  which  he 
visited  in  the  same  manner,  inspecting  personally  the  instruc 
tion  of  the  youth.  He  established  butcheries  and  public  ovens, 
that  the  people  might  be  furnished  with  wholesome  provisions 
at  just  and  regular  prices.  He  introduced  abundant  streams 

[81] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

of  water  into  the  city,  erecting  baths  and  fountains,  and  con 
structing  aqueducts  and  canals  to  irrigate  and  fertilize  the 
Vega.  By  these  means  prosperity  and  abundance  prevailed 
in  this  beautiful  city ;  its  gates  were  thronged  with  commerce, 
and  its  warehouses  filled  with  luxuries  and  merchandise  of 
every  clime  and  country. 

He  moreover  gave  premiums  and  privileges  to  the  best 
artisans ;  improved  the  breed  of  horses  and  other  domestic 
animals ;  encouraged  husbandry ;  and  increased  the  natural 
fertility  of  the  soil  twofold  by  his  protection,  making  the 
lovely  valleys  of  his  kingdom  to  bloom  like  gardens.  He 
fostered  also  the  growth  and  fabrication  of  silk,  until  the 
looms  of  Granada  surpassed  even  those  of  Syria  in  the  fine 
ness  and  beauty  of  their  productions.  He  moreover  caused 
the  mines  of  gold  and  silver  and  other  metals,  found  in  the 
mountainous  regions  of  his  dominions,  to  be  diligently  worked, 
and  was  the  first  king  of  Granada  who  struck  money  of  gold 
and  silver  with  his  name,  taking  great  care  that  the  coins 
should  be  skilfully  executed. 

It  was  towards  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century,  and 
just  after  his  return  from  the  siege  of  Seville,  that  he  com 
menced  the  splendid  palace  of  the  Alhambra  ;  superintend 
ing  the  building  of  it  in  person  ;  mingling  frequently  among 
the  artists  and  workmen,  and  directing  their  labors. 

Though  thus  magnificent  in  his  works  and  great  in  his 
enterprises,  he  was  simple  in  his  person  and  moderate  in  his 
enjoyments.  His  dress  was  not  merely  void  of  splendor,  but 
so  plain  as  not  to  distinguish  him  from  his  subjects.  His 
wives  were  daughters  of  the  principal  nobles,  and  were 
treated  by  him  as  friends  and  rational  companions.  He 
passed  much  of  his  time  in  his  gardens  ;  especially  in  those 

[82] 


ALHAMAR 

of  the  Alhambra,  which  he  had  stored  with  the  rarest  plants 
and  the  most  beautiful  and  aromatic  flowers.  Here  he  de 
lighted  himself  in  reading  histories,  or  in  causing  them  to 
be  read  and  related  to  him,  and  sometimes,  in  intervals  of 
leisure,  employed  himself  in  the  instruction  of  his  three  sons, 
for  whom  he  had  provided  the  most  learned  and  virtuous 
masters. 

As  he  had  frankly  and  voluntarily  offered  himself  a  tribu 
tary  vassal  to  Ferdinand,  so  he  always  remained  loyal  to  his 
word,  giving  him  repeated  proofs  of  fidelity  and  attachment. 
When  that  renowned  monarch  died  in  Seville  in  1254, 
Alhamar  sent  ambassadors  to  condole  with  his  successor, 
Alonzo  X,  and  with  them  a  gallant  train  of  a  hundred  Moor 
ish  cavaliers  of  distinguished  rank,  who  were  to  attend  round 
the  royal  bier  during  the  funeraj  ceremonies,  each  bearing 
a  lighted  taper.  This  grand  testimonial  of  respect  was  re 
peated  by  the  Moslem  monarch  during  the  remainder  of  his 
life  on  each  anniversary  of  the  death  of  King  Ferdinand 
el  Santo,  when  the  hundred  Moorish  knights  repaired  from 
Granada  to  Seville,  and  took  their  stations  with  lighted  tapers 
in  the  centre  of  the  sumptuous  cathedral  round  the  cenotaph 
of  the  illustrious  deceased. 

Alhamar  retained  his  faculties  and  vigor  to  an  advanced 
age.  In  his  seventy-ninth  year  (A.D.  1272)  he  took  the  field 
on  horseback,  accompanied  by  the  flower  of  his  chivalry,  to 
resist  an  invasion  of  his  territories.  As  the  army  sallied  forth 
from  Granada,  one  of  the  principal  adalides,  or  guides,  who 
rode  in  the  advance,  accidentally  broke  his  lance  against  the 
arch  of  the  gate.  The  counsellors  of  the  king,  alarmed  by 
this  circumstance,  which  was  considered  an  evil  omen,  en 
treated  him  to  return.  Their  supplications  were  in  vain. 

[83] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

The  king  persisted,  and  at  noontide  the  omen,  say  the  Moor 
ish  chroniclers,  was  fatally  fulfilled.  Alhamar  was  suddenly 
struck  with  illness,  and  had  nearly  fallen  from  his  horse.  He 
was  placed  on  a  litter  and  borne  back  towards  Granada,  but 
his  illness  increased  to  such  a  degree  that  they  were  obliged 
to  pitch  his  tent  in  the  Vega.  His  physicians  were  filled  with 
consternation,  not  knowing  what  remedy  to  prescribe.  In  a 
few  hours  he  died,  vomiting  blood  and  in  violent  convulsions. 
The  Castilian  prince,  Don  Philip,  brother  of  Alonzo  X, 
was  by  his  side  when  he  expired.  His  body  was  embalmed, 
enclosed  in  a  silver  coffin,  and  buried  in  the  Alhambra  in  a 
sepulchre  of  precious  marble,  amidst  the  unfeigned  lamenta 
tions  of  his  subjects,  who  bewailed  him  as  a  parent. 

I  have  said  that  he  was  the  first  of  the  illustrious  line  of 
Nasar  that  sat  upon  a  throne.  I  may  add  that  he  was  the 
founder  of  a  brilliant  kingdom  which  will  ever  be  famous  in 
history  and  romance  as  the  last  rallying-place  of  Moslem 
power  and  splendor  in  the  Peninsula.  Though  his  under 
takings  were  vast,  and  his  expenditures  immense,  yet  his 
treasury  was  always  full ;  and  this  seeming  contradiction 
gave  rise  to  the  story  that  he  was  versed  in  magic  art,  and 
possessed  of  the  secret  for  transmuting  baser  metals  into  gold. 
Those  who  have  attended  to  his  domestic  policy,  as  here  set 
forth,  will  easily  understand  the  natural  magic  and  simple 
alchemy  which  made  his' ample  treasury  to  overflow. 


[84] 


.,...- 


YUSEF  ABUL  HAGIG,  THE  FINISHER  OF  THE 
ALHAMBRA 

IO  THE  foregoing  particulars,  concerning  the  Moslem 
princes  who  once  reigned  in  these  halls,  I  shall  add  a 
brief  notice  of  the  monarch  who  completed  and  em 
bellished  the  Alhambra.  Yusef  Abul  Hagig  (or,  as  it  is  some 
times  written,  Haxis)  was  another  prince  of  the  noble  line  of 
Nasar.  He  ascended  the  throne  of  Granada  in  the  year  of 
grace  1333,  and  is  described  by  Moslem  writers  as  having 
a  noble  presence,  great  bodily  strength,  and  a  fair  complex 
ion  ;  and  the  majesty  of  his  countenance  increased,  say  they, 
by  suffering  his  beard  to  grow  to  a  dignified  length  and  dye 
ing  it  black.  His  manners  were  gentle,  affable,  and  urbane  ; 
he  carried  the  benignity  of  his  nature  into  warfare,  prohibit 
ing  all  wanton  cruelty,  and  enjoining  mercy  and  protection 
towards  women  and  children,  the  aged  and  infirm,  and  all 

[85] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

friars  and  other  persons  of  holy  and  recluse  life.  But  though 
he  possessed  the  courage  common  to  generous  spirits,  the 
bent  of  his  genius  was  more  for  peace  than  war,  and  though 
repeatedly  obliged  by  circumstances  to  take  up  arms,  he  was 
generally  unfortunate. 

Among  other  ill-starred  enterprises,  he  undertook  a  great 
campaign,  in  conjunction  with  the  king  of  Morocco,  against 
the  kings  of  Castile  and  Portugal,  but  was  defeated  in  the 
memorable  battle  of  Salado,  which  had  nearly  proved  a  death 
blow  to  the  Moslem  power  in  Spain. 

Yusef  obtained  a  long  truce  after  this  defeat,  and  now  his 
character  shone  forth  in  its  true  lustre.  He  had  an  excellent 
memory,  and  had  stored  his  mind  with  science  and  erudition  ; 
his  taste  was  altogether  elegant  and  refined,  and  he  was  ac 
counted  the  best  poet  of  his  time.  Devoting  himself  to  the 
instruction  of  his  people  and  the  improvement  of  their  morals 
and  manners,  he  established  schools  in  all  the  villages,  with 
simple  and  uniform  systems  of  education  ;  he  obliged  every 
hamlet  of  more  than  twelve  houses  to  have  a  mosque,  and 
purified  the  ceremonies  of  religion,  and  the  festivals  and  popu 
lar  amusements,  from  various  abuses  and  indecorums  which 
had  crept  into  them.  He  attended  vigilantly  to  the  police  of 
the  city,  establishing  nocturnal  guards  and  patrols,  and  super 
intending  all  municipal  concerns.  His  attention  was  also 
directed  towards  finishing  the  great  architectural  works  com 
menced  by  his  predecessors,  and  erecting  others  on  his  own 
plans.  The  Alhambra,  which  had  been  founded  by  the  good 
Alhamar,  was  now  completed.  Yusef  constructed  the  beauti 
ful  Gate  of  Justice,  forming  the  grand  entrance  to  the  for 
tress,  which  he  finished  in  1348.  He  likewise  adorned  many 
of  the  courts  and  halls  of  the  palace,  as  may  be  seen  by  the 

[86] 


YUSEF    ABUL    HAGIG 

inscriptions  on  the  walls,  in  which  his  name  repeatedly  occurs. 
He  built  also  the  noble  Alcazar  or  citadel  of  Malaga,  now  un 
fortunately  a  mere  mass  of  crumbling  ruins,  but  which  most 
probably  exhibited  in  its  interior  similar  elegance  and  magnifi 
cence  with  the  Alhambra. 

The  genius  of  a  sovereign  stamps  a  character  upon  his 
time.  The  nobles  of  Granada,  imitating  the  elegant  and 
graceful  taste  of  Yusef,  soon  filled  the  city  of  Granada  with 
magnificent  palaces;  the  halls  of  which  were  paved  with 
mosaic,  the  walls  and  ceilings  wrought  in  fretwork,  and  deli 
cately  gilded  and  painted  with  azure,  vermilion,  and  other 
brilliant  colors,  or  minutely  inlaid  with  cedar  and  other  pre 
cious  woods  ;  specimens  of  which  have  survived,  in  all  their 
lustre,  the  lapse  of  several  centuries.  Many  of  the  houses 
had  fountains,  which  threw  up  jets  of  water  to  refresh  and 
cool  the  air.  They  had  lofty  towers  also,  of  wood  or  stone, 
curiously  carved  and  ornamented,  and  covered  with  plates  of 
metal  that  glittered  in  the  sun.  Such  was  the  refined  and 
delicate  taste  in  architecture  that  prevailed  among  this  elegant 
people;  insomuch  that,  to  use  the  beautiful  simile  of  an 
Arabian  writer,  "  Granada,  in  the  days  of  Yusef,  was  as  a 
silver  vase  filled  with  emeralds  and  jacinths." 

One  anecdote  will  be  sufficient  to  show  the  magnanimity 
of  this  generous  prince.  The  long  truce  which  had  succeeded 
the  battle  of  Salado  was  at  an  end,  and  every  effort  of  Yusef 
to  renew  it  was  in  vain.  His  deadly  foe,  Alfonzo  XI  of 
Castile,  took  the  field  with  great  force,  and  laid  siege  to  Gib 
raltar.  Yusef  reluctantly  took  up  arms,  and  sent  troops  to  the 
relief  of  the  place.  In  the  midst  of  his  anxiety,  he  received 
tidings  that  his  dreaded  foe  had  fallen  a  victim  to  the  plague. 
Instead  of  manifesting  exultation  on  the  occasion,  Yusef 

[87] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

called  to  mind  the  great  qualities  of  the  deceased,  and  was 
touched  with  a  noble  sorrow.  "  Alas  !  "  cried  he,  "  the  world 
has  lost  one  of  its  most  excellent  princes ;  a  sovereign  who 
knew  how  to  honor  merit,  whether  in  friend  or  f oe  !  " 

The  Spanish  chroniclers  themselves  bear  witness  to  this 
magnanimity.  According  to  their  accounts,  the  Moorish  cava 
liers  partook  of  the  sentiment  of  their  king,  and  put  on  mourn 
ing  for  the  death  of  Alfonzo.  Even  those  of  Gibraltar,  who 
had  been  so  closely  invested,  when  they  knew  that  the  hostile 
monarch  lay  dead  in  his  camp,  determined  among  themselves 
that  no  hostile  movement  should  be  made  against  the  Chris 
tians.  The  day  on  which  the  camp  was  broken  up,  and  the 
army  departed  bearing  the  corpse  of  Alfonzo,  the  Moors 
issued  in  multitudes  from  Gibraltar,  and  stood  mute  and 
melancholy,  watching  the  mournful  pageant.  The  same  rev 
erence  for  the  deceased  was  observed  by  all  the  Moorish  com 
manders  on  the  frontiers,  who  suffered  the  funeral  train  to 
pass  in  safety,  bearing  the  corpse  of  the  Christian  sovereign 
from  Gibraltar  to  Seville. 

Yusef  did  not  long  survive  the  enemy  he  had  so  generously 
deplored.  In  the  year  1354,  as  he  was  one  day  praying  in 
the  royal*  mosque  of  the  Alhambra,  a  maniac  rushed  suddenly 
from  behind  and  plunged  a  dagger  in  his  side.  The  cries  of 
the  king  brought  his  guards  and  courtiers  to  his  assistance. 
They  found  him  weltering  in  his  blood.  He  made  some  signs 
as  if  to  speak,  but  his  words  were  unintelligible.  They  bore 
him  senseless  to  the  royal  apartments,  where  he  expired  al 
most  immediately.  The  murderer  was  cut  to  pieces,  and  his 
limbs  burnt  in  public  to  gratify  the  fury  of  the  populace. 

The  body  of  the  king  was  interred  in  a  superb  sepulchre 
of  white  marble ;  a  long  epitaph,  in  letters  of  gold  upon  an 

[88] 


YUSEF    ABUL    H.AGIG 

azure  ground,  recorded  his  virtues.  "  Here  lies  a  king  and- 
martyr,  of  an  illustrious  line,  gentle,  learned,  and  virtuous ; 
renowned  for  the  graces  of  his  person  and  his  manners ; 
whose  clemency,  piety,  and  benevolence  were  extolled  through 
out  the  kingdom  of  Granada.  He  was  a  great  prince ;  an 
illustrious  captain  ;  a  sharp  sword  of  the  Moslems  ;  a  valiant 
standard-bearer  among  the  most  potent  monarchs,"  etc. 

The  mosque  still  exists  which  once  resounded  with  the 
dying  cries  of  Yusef,  but  the  monument  which  recorded  his 
virtues  has  long  since  disappeared.  His  name,  however, 
remains  inscribed  among  the  delicate  and  graceful  orna 
ments  of  the  Alhambra,  and  will  be  perpetuated  in  connec 
tion  with  this  renowned  pile,  which  it  was  his  pride  and 
delight  to  beautify. 


[89] 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   CHAMBERS 

S  I  WAS  rambling  one  day  about  the  Moorish  halls, 
my  attention  was,  for  the  first  time,  attracted  to  a 
door  in  a  remote  gallery,  communicating  apparently 
with  some  part  of  the  Alhambra  which  I  had  not  yet  explored. 
I  attempted  to  open  it,  but  it  was  locked.  I  knocked,  but  no 
one  answered,  and  the  sound  seemed  to  reverberate  through 
empty  chambers.  Here  then  was  a  mystery.  Here  was  the 
haunted  wing  of  the  castle.  How  was  I  to  get  at  the  dark 
secrets  here  shut  up  from  the  public  eye  ?  Should  I  come 
privately  at  night  with  lamp  and  sword,  according  to  the  pry 
ing  custom  of  heroes  of  romance ;  or  should  I  endeavor  to- 
draw  the  secret  from  Pepe,  the  stuttering  gardener ;  or  the 
ingenuous  Dolores,  or  the  loquacious  Mateo  ?  Or  should  I 
go  frankly  and  openly  to  Dame  Antonia,  the  chatelaine,  and 
ask  her  all  about  it  ?  I  chose  the  latter  course,  as  being  the 

[9°] 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    CHAMBERS 

•simplest  though  the  least  romantic ;  and  found,  somewhat 
to  my  disappointment,  that  there  was  no  mystery  in  the 
case.  I  was  welcome  to  explore  the  apartment,  and  there 
was  the  key. 

Thus  provided,  I  returned  forthwith  to  the  door.  It  opened, 
as  I  had  surmised,  to  a  range  of  vacant  chambers ;  but  they 
were  quite  different  from  the  rest  of  the  palace.  The  archi 
tecture,  though  rich  and  antiquated,  was  European.  There 
was  nothing  Moorish  about  it.  The  first  two  rooms  were 
lofty ;  the  ceilings,  broken  in  many  places,  were  of  cedar, 
deeply  panelled  and  skilfully  carved  with  fruits  and  flowers, 
intermingled  with  grotesque  masks  or  faces. 

The  walls  had  evidently  in  ancient  times  been  hung  with 
damask  ;  but  now  were  naked  and  scrawled  over  by  that  class 
of  aspiring  travellers  who  defile  noble  monuments  with  their 
worthless  names.  The  windows,  dismantled  and  open  to  wind 
and  weather,  looked  out  into  a  charming  little  secluded  gar 
den,  where  an  alabaster  fountain  sparkled  among  roses  and 
myrtles,  and  was  surrounded  by  orange  and  citron  trees,  some 
of  which  flung  their  branches  into  the  chambers.  Beyond 
these  rooms  were  two  saloons,  longer  but  less  lofty,  looking 
also  into  the  garden.  In  the  compartments  of  the  panelled 
ceilings  were  baskets  of  fruit  and  garlands  of  flowers,  painted 
by  no  mean  hand,  and  in  tolerable  preservation.  The  walls 
also  had  been  painted  in  fresco  in  the  Italian  style,  but  the 
paintings  were  nearly  obliterated ;  the  windows  were  in  the 
same  shattered  state  with  those  of  the  other  chambers.  This 
fanciful  suite  of  rooms  terminated  in  an  open  gallery  with 
balustrades,  running  at  right  angles  along  another  side  of  the 
garden.  The  whole  apartment,  so  delicate  and  elegant  in  its 
decorations,  so  choice  and  sequestered  in  its  situation  along 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

this  retired  little  garden,  and  so  different  in  architecture  from 
the  neighboring  halls,  awakened  an  interest  in  its  history.  I 
found  on  inquiry  that  it  was  an  apartment  fitted  up  by  Italian 
artists  in  the  early  part  of  the  last  century,  at  the  time  when 
Philip  V  and  his  second  wife,  the  beautiful  Elizabetta  of 
Farnese,  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Parma,  were  expected  at 
the  Alhambra.  It  was  destined  for  the  queen  and  the  ladies 
of  her  train.  One  of  the  loftiest  chambers  had  been  her 
sleeping-room.  A  narrow  staircase,  now  walled  up,  led  up  to 
a  delightful  belvedere,  originally  a  mirador  of  the  Moorish 
sultanas^  but  which  was  fitted  up  as  a  boudoir  for  the  fair 
Elizabetta,  and  still  retains  the  name  of  El  Tocador  de  la 
Reina,  or  the  queen's  toilette. 

One  window  of  the  royal  sleeping-room  commanded  a 
prospect  of  the  Generalife  and  its  embowered  terraces ;  an 
other  looked  out  into  the  little  secluded  garden  I  have  men 
tioned,  which  was  decidedly  Moorish  in  its  character,  and 
also  had  its  history.  It  was  in  fact  the  garden  of  Lindaraxa, 
so  often  mentioned  in  descriptions  of  the  Alhambra,  but  who 
this  Lindaraxa  was  I  had  never  heard  explained.  A  little 
research  gave  me  the  few  particulars  known  about  her.  She 
was  a  Moorish  beauty  who  flourished  in  the  court  of  Muhamed 
the  Left-Handed,  and  was  the  daughter  of  his  loyal  adherent 
the  Alcaide  of  Malaga,  who  sheltered  him  in  his  city  when 
driven  from  the  throne.  On  regaining  his  crown,  the  Alcaide 
was  rewarded  for  his  fidelity.  His  daughter  had  her  apart 
ment  in  the  Alhambra,  and  was  given  by  the  king  in  mar 
riage  to  Nasar,  a  young  Celtimerian  prince  descended  from 
Aben  Hud  the  Just.  Their  espousals  were  doubtless  cele 
brated  in  the  royal  palace,  and  their  honeymoon  may  have 
passed  among  these  very  bowers. 


*  *« 

'*-'•. .*•-  :m:,m^ 
l^j^^'l 

;.-i;    l       5 


THE   QUEEN'S   CHAMBER 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Four  centuries  had  elapsed  since  the  fair  Lindaraxa  passed 
away,  yet  how  much  of  the  fragile  beauty  of  the  scenes  she 
inhabited  remained  !  The  garden  still  bloomed  in  which  she 
delighted ;  the  fountain  still  presented  the  crystal  mirror  in 
which  her  charms  may  once  have  been  reflected ;  the  alabas 
ter,  it  is  true,  had  lost  its  whiteness  ;  the  basin  beneath,  over 
run  with  weeds,  had  become  the  lurking-place  of  the  lizard, 
but  there  was  something  in  the  very  decay  that  enhanced  the 
interest  of  the  scene,  speaking  as  it  did  of  that  mutability, 
the  irrevocable  lot  of  man  and  all  his  works. 

The  desolation  too  of  these  chambers,  once  the  abode  of 
the  proud  and  elegant  Elizabetta,  had  a  more  touching  charm 
for  me  than  if  I  had  beheld  them  in  their  pristine  splendor, 
glittering  with  the  pageantry  of  a  court. 

When  I  returned  to  my  quarters,  in  the  governor's  apart 
ment,  everything  seemed  tame  and  commonplace  after  the 
poetic  region  I  had  left.  The  thought  suggested  itself  :  Why 
could  I  not  change  my  quarters  to  these  vacant  chambers  ? 
that  would  indeed  be  living  in  the  Alhambra,  surrounded  by 
its  gardens  and  fountains,  as  in  the  time  of  the  Moorish  sov 
ereigns.  I  proposed  the  change  to  Dame  Antonia  and  her 
family,  and  it  occasioned  vast  surprise.  They  could  not  con 
ceive  any  rational  inducement  for  the  choice  of  an  apartment 
so  forlorn,  remote,  and  solitary.  Dolores  exclaimed  at  its 
frightful  loneliness  ;  nothing  but  bats  and  owls  flitting  about 
—  and  then  a  fox  and  wildcat  kept  in  the  vaults  of  the  neigh 
boring  baths,  and  roamed  about  at  night.  The  good  Tia  had 
more  reasonable  objections.  The  neighborhood  was  infested 
by  vagrants  ;  gypsies  swarmed  in  the  caverns  of  the  adjacent 
hills  ;  the  palace  was  ruinous  and  easy  to  be  entered  in  many 
places  ;  the  rumor  of  a  stranger  quartered  alone  in  one  of  the 

[94] 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    CHAMBERS 

remote  and  ruined  apartments,  out  of  the  hearing  of  the  rest 
of  the  inhabitants,  might  tempt  unwelcome  visitors  in  the 
night,  especially  as  foreigners  were  always  supposed  to  be 
well  stocked  with  money.  I  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  my 
humor,  however,  and  my  will  was  law  with  these  good  people. 
So,  calling  in  the  assistance  of  a  carpenter,  and  the  ever  offi 
cious  Mateo  Ximenes,  the  doors  and  windows  were  soon  placed 
in  a  state  of  tolerable  security,  and  the  sleeping-room  of  the 
stately  Elizabetta  prepared  for  my  reception.  Mateo  kindly 
volunteered  as  a  body-guard  to  sleep  in  my  antechamber  ;  but 
I  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  put  his  valor  to  the  proof. 

With  all  the  hardihood  I  had  assumed  and  all  the  precau 
tions  I  had  taken,  I  must  confess  the  first  night  passed  in 
these  quarters  was  inexpressibly  dreary.  I  do  not  think  it 
was  so  much  the  apprehension  of  dangers  from  without  that 
affected  me,  as  the  character  of  the  place  itself,  with  all  its 
strange  associations :  the  deeds  of  violence  committed  there ; 
the  tragical  ends  of  many  of  those  who  had  once  reigned 
there  in  splendor.  As  I  passed  beneath  the  fated  halls  of  the 
tower  of  Comares  on  the  way  to  my  chamber,  I  called  to  mind 
a  quotation,  that  used  to  thrill  me  in  the  days  of  boyhood  : 

"  Fate  sits  on  these  dark  battlements  and  frowns ; 
And,  as  the  portal  opens  to  receive  me, 
A  voice  in  sullen  echoes  through  the  courts 
Tells  of  a  nameless  deed  !  " 

The  whole  family  escorted  me  to  my  chamber  and  took 
leave  of  me  as  one  engaged  on  a  perilous  enterprise ;  and 
when  I  heard  their  retreating  steps  die  away  along  the  waste 
antechambers  and  echoing  galleries,  and  turned  the  key  of  my 
door,  I  was  reminded  of  those  hobgoblin  stories  where  the  hero 
is  left  to  accomplish  the  adventure  of  an  enchanted  house. 

[95] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Even  the  thoughts  of  the  fair  Elizabetta  and  the  beauties 
of  her  court  who  had  once  graced  these  chambers,  now,  by 
a  perversion  of  fancy,  added  to  the  gloom.  Here  was  the 
scene  of  their  transient  gayety  and  loveliness ;  here  were 
the  traces  of  their  elegance  and  enjoyment ;  but  what  and 
where  were  they  ?  Dust  and  ashes !  tenants  of  the  tomb ! 
phantoms  of  the  memory  ! 

A  vague  and  indescribable  awe  was  creeping  over  me. 
I  would  fain  have  ascribed  it  to  the  thoughts  of  robbers 
awakened  by  the  evening's  conversation,  but  I  felt  it  was 
something  more  unreal  and  absurd.  The  long-buried  super 
stitions  of  the  nursery  were  reviving,  and  asserting  their 
power  over  my  imagination.  Everything  began  to  be  affected 
by  the  working  of  my  mind.  The  whispering  of  the  wind 
among  the  citron-trees  beneath  my  window  had  something 
sinister.  I  cast  my  eyes  into  the  garden  of  Lindaraxa ;  the 
groves  presented  a  gulf  of  shadows,  the  thickets  indistinct 
and  ghastly  shapes.  I  was  glad  to  close  the  window,  but  my 
chamber  itself  became  infected.  There  was  a  slight  rustling 
noise  overhead ;  a  bat  suddenly  emerged  from  a  broken 
panel  of  the  ceiling,  flitting  about  the  room  and  athwart  my 
solitary  lamp  ;  and  as  the  fateful  bird  almost  flouted  my  face 
with  his  noiseless  wing,  the  grotesque  faces  carved  in  high 
relief  in  the  cedar  ceiling  whence  he  had  emerged  seemed 
to  mope  and  mow  at  me. 

Rousing  myself,  and  half  smiling  at  this  temporary  weak 
ness,  I  resolved  to  brave  it  out  in  the  true  spirit  of  the  hero 
of  the  enchanted  house  ;  so,  taking  lamp  in  hand,  I  sallied 
forth  to  make  a  tour  of  the  palace.  Notwithstanding  every 
mental  exertion  the  task  was  a  severe  one.  I  had  to  traverse 
waste  halls  and  mysterious  galleries,  where  the  rays  of  the 

[96] 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    CHAMBERS 

lamp  extended  but  a  short  distance  around  me.  I  walked,  as 
it  were,  in  a  mere  halo  of  light,  walled  in  by  impenetrable 
darkness.  The  vaulted  corridors  were  as  caverns  ;  the  ceil 
ings  of  the  halls  were  lost  in  gloom.  I  recalled  all  that  had 
been  said  of  the  danger  from  interlopers  in  these  remote 
and  ruined  apartments.  Might  not  some  vagrant  foe  be 
lurking  before  or  behind  me,  in  the  outer  darkness  ?  My 
own  shadow,  cast  upon  the  wall,  began  to  disturb  me.  The 
echoes  of  my  own  footsteps  along  the  corridors  made  me 
pause  and  look  round.  I  was  traversing  scenes  fraught  with 
dismal  recollections.  One  dark  passage  led  down  to  the 
mosque  where  Yusef,  the  Moorish  monarch,  the  finisher  of 
the  Alhambra,  had  been  basely  murdered.  In  another  place 
I  trod  the  gallery  where  another  monarch  had  been  struck 
down  by  the  poniard  of  a  relative  whom  he  had  thwarted  in 
his  love. 

A  low  murmuring  sound,  as  of  stifled  voices  and  clanking 
chains,  now  reached  me.  It  seemed  to  come  from  the  Hall 
of  the  Abencerrages.  I  knew  it  to  be  the  rush  of  water 
through  subterranean  channels,  but  it  sounded  strangely  in 
the  night,  and  reminded  me  of  the  dismal  stories  to  which 
it  had  given  rise. 

Soon,  however,  my  ear  was  assailed  by  sounds  too  fearfully 
real  to  be  the  work  of  fancy.  As  I  was  crossing  the  Hall  of 
Ambassadors,  low  moans  and  broken  ejaculations  rose,  as  it 
were,  from  beneath  my  feet.  I  paused  and  listened.  They 
then  appeared  to  be  outside  of  the  tower — then  again  within. 
Then  broke  forth  howlings  as  of  an  animal  —  then  stifled 
shrieks  and  inarticulate  ravings.  Heard  in  that  dead  hour 
and  singular  place  the  effect  was  thrilling.  I  had  no  desire 
for  further  perambulation,  but  returned  to  my  chamber  with 

[97  1 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

infinitely  more  alacrity  than  I  had  sallied  forth,  and  drew  my 
breath  more  freely  when  once  more  within  its  walls  and  the 
door  bolted  behind  me.  When  I  awoke  in  the  morning,  with 
the  sun  shining  in  at  my  window  and  lighting  up  every  part 
of  the  building  with  his  cheerful  and  truth-telling  beams,  I 
could  scarcely  recall  the,  shadows  and  fancies  conjured  up  by 
the  gloom  of  the  preceding  night,  or  believe  that  the  scenes 
around  me,  so  naked  and  apparent,  could  have  been  clothed 
with  such  imaginary  horrors. 

Still,  the  dismal  howlings  and  ejaculations  I  had  heard 
were  not  ideal ;  they  were  soon  accounted  for,  however,  by 
my  handmaid  Dolores,  being  the  ravings  of  a  poor  maniac, 
a  brother  of  her  aunt,  who  was  subject  to  violent  paroxysms, 
during  which  he  was  confined  in  a  vaulted  room  beneath  the 
Hall  of  Ambassadors. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  evenings  a  thorough  change  took 
place  in  the  scene  and  its  associations.  The  moon,  which 
when  I  took  possession  of  my  new  apartments  was  invisible, 
gradually  gained  each  evening  upon  the  darkness  of  the  night, 
and  at  length  rolled  in  full  splendor  above  the  towers,  pouring 
a  flood  of  tempered  light  into  every  court  and  hall.  The  gar 
den  beneath  my  window,  before  wrapped  in  gloom,  was  gently 
lighted  up  ;  the  orange  and  citron  trees  were  tipped  with  sil 
ver,  the  fountain  sparkled  in  the  moonbeams,  and  even  the 
blush  of  the  rose  was  faintly  visible. 

I  now  felt  the  poetic  merit  of  the  Arabic  inscription  on  the 
walls  :  "  How  beauteous  is  this  garden  ;  where  the  flowers 
of  the  earth  vie  with  the  stars  of  heaven.  What  can  compare 
with  the  vase  of  yon  alabaster  fountain  filled  with  crystal  water? 
nothing  but  the  moon  in  her  fulness,  shining  in  the  midst  of 
an  unclouded  sky  !  " 

[98] 


Y  ,       *    ' 


Jtt« 

ir^jp 


»;.-. 


/•ii> 


v'v-         -.  •     (i_ ,  .  . 

•y.     :  .     *  •  *-r  \ 

;''  '        l     •         -• 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

On  such  heavenly  nights  I  would  sit  for  hours  at  my  win 
dow,  inhaling  the  sweetness  of  the  garden,  and  musing  on 
the  checkered  fortunes  of  those  whose  history  was  dimly 
shadowed  out  in  the  elegant  memorials  around.  Sometimes, 
when  all  was  quiet,  and  the  clock  from  the  distant  cathedral 
of  Granada  struck  the  midnight  hour,  I  have  sallied  out  on 
another  tour  and  wandered  over  the  whole  building  ;  but  how 
different  from  my  first  tour !  No  longer  dark  and  mysteri 
ous  ;  no  longer  peopled  with  shadowy  foes ;  no  longer  recall 
ing  scenes  of  violence  and  murder ;  all  was  open,  spacious, 
beautiful ;  everything  called  up  pleasing  and  romantic  fancies ; 
Lindaraxa  once  more  walked  in  her  garden ;  the  gay  chivalry 
of  Moslem  Granada  once  more  glittered  about  the  Court  of 
Lions !  Who  can  do  justice  to  a  moonlight  night  in  such  a 
climate  and  such  a  place?  The  temperature  of  a  summer 
midnight  in  Andalusia  is  perfectly  ethereal.  We  seem  lifted 
up  into  a  purer  atmosphere ;  we  feel  a  serenity  of  soul,  a 
buoyancy  of  spirits,  an  elasticity  of  frame,  which  render  mere 
existence  happiness.  But  when  moonlight  is  added  to  all  this, 
the  effect  is  like  enchantment.  Under  its  plastic  sway  the 
Alhambra  seems  to  regain  its  pristine  glories.  Every  rent 
and  chasm  of  time,  every  mouldering  tint  and  weather  stain 
is  gone  ;  the  marble  resumes  its  original  whiteness,  the  long 
colonnades  brighten  in  the  moonbeams,  the  halls  are  illumi 
nated  with  a  softened  radiance,  —  we  tread  the  enchanted 
palace  of  an  Arabian  tale ! 

What  a  delight,  at  such  a  time,  to  ascend  to  the  little  airy 
pavilion  of  the  queen's  toilette  (El  Tocador  de  la  Reina), 
which,  like  a  bird-cage,  overhangs  the  valley  of  the  Darro,  and 
gaze  from  its  light  arcades  upon  the  moonlight  prospect !  To 
the  right,  the  swelling  mountains  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  robbed 

[100] 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    CHAMBERS 

of  their  ruggedness  and  softened  into  a  fairy  land,  with  their 
snowy  summits  gleaming  like  silver  clouds  against  the  deep 
blue  sky.  And  then  to  lean  over  the  parapet  of  the  Tocador 
and  gaze  down  upon  Granada  and  the  Albaicin  spread  out 
like  a  map  below,  all  buried  in  deep  repose  ;  the  white  palaces 
and  convents  sleeping  in  the  moonshine,  and  beyond  all  these 
the  vapory  Vega  fading  away  like  a  dreamland  in  the  distance. 

Sometimes  the  faint  click  of  castanets  rise  from  the  Ala- 
meda,  where  some  gay  Andalusians  are  dancing  away  the 
summer  night.  Sometimes  the  dubious  tones  of  a  guitar  and 
the  notes  of  an  amorous  voice  tell  perchance  the  whereabout 
of  some  moonstruck  lover  serenading  his  lady's  window. 

Such  is  a  faint  picture  of  the  moonlight  nights  I  have 
passed  loitering  about  the  courts  and  halls  and  balconies  of 
this  most  suggestive  pile  ;  "  feeding  my  fancy  with  sugared 
suppositions,"  and  enjoying  that  mixture  of  reverie  and  sensa 
tion  which  steal  away  existence  in  a  southern  climate  ;  so  that 
it  has  been  almost  morning  before  I  have  retired  to  bed,  and 
been  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  falling  waters  of  the  fountain  of 
Lindaraxa. 


[101] 


PANORAMA  FROM  THE  TOWER  OF  COMARES 

IT  IS  a  serene  and  beautiful  morning ;  the  sun  has  not 
gained  sufficient  power  to  destroy  the  freshness  of  the 
night.    What  a  morning  to  mount  to  the  summit  of  the 
Tower  of  Comares  and  take  a  bird's-eye  view  of  Granada  and 
its  environs ! 

Come  then,  worthy  reader  and  comrade,  follow  my  steps 
into  this  vestibule,  ornamented  with  rich  tracery,  which  opens 
into  the  Hall  of  Ambassadors.  We  will  not  enter  the  hall, 
however,  but  turn  to  this  small  door  opening  into  the  wall. 
Have  a  care !  here  are  steep  winding  steps  and  but  scanty 
light,  yet  up  this  narrow,  obscure,  and  spiral  staircase  the 
proud  monarchs  of  Granada  and  their  queens  have  often  as 
cended  to  the  battlements  to  watch  the  approach  of  invading 
armies  or  gaze  with  anxious  hearts  on  the  battles  in  the  Vega. 
At  length  we  have  reached  the  terraced  roof  and  may  take 
breath  for  a  moment  while  we  cast  a  general  eye  over  the 

[102] 


PANORAMA  FROM  TOWER  OF  COMARES 

splendid  panorama  of  city  and  country,  of  rocky  mountain, 
verdant  valley,  and  fertile  plain  ;  of  castle,  cathedral,  Moorish 
towers,  and  Gothic  domes,  crumbling  ruins,  and  blooming 
groves.  Let  us  approach  the  battlements  and  cast  our  eyes 
immediately  below.  See,  on  this  side  we  have  the  whole  plain 
of  the  Alhambra  laid  open  to  us  and  can  look  down  into  its 
courts  and  gardens.  At  the  foot  of  the  tower  is  the  Court  of 
the  Alberca,  with  its  great  tank  or  fishpool,  bordered  with 
flowers ;  and  yonder  is  the  Court  of  Lions  with  its  famous 
fountain  and  its  light  Moorish  arcades ;  and  in  the  centre  of 
the  pile  is  the  little  garden  of  Lindaraxa,  buried  in  the  heart 
of  the  building,  with  its  roses  and  citrons  and  shrubbery  of 
emerald  green. 

That  belt  of  battlements,  studded  with  square  towers,  strag 
gling  round  the  brow  of  the  hill,  is  the  outer  boundary  of  the  for 
tress.    Some  of  the  towers,  you  may  perceive,  are  in  ruins  and 
their  massive  fragments  buried  among  vines,  fig-trees,  and  aloes. 
Let  us  look  on  this  northern  side  of  the  tower.    It  is  a 
giddy  height ;  the  very  foundations  of  the  tower  rise  above 
the  groves  of  the  steep  hillside.    And  see !  a  long  fissure  in 
the  massive  walls  shows  that  the  tower  has  been  rent  by  some 
of  the  earthquakes  which  from  time  to  time  have  thrown 
Granada  into  consternation,  and  which,  sooner  or  later,  must 
reduce  this  crumbling  pile  to  a  mere  mass  of  ruin.    The  deep 
narrow  glen  below  us,  which  gradually  widens  as  it  opens 
from  the  mountains,  is  the  valley  of  the  Darro  ;  you  see  the 
little  river  winding  its  way  under  embowered  terraces,  and 
among  orchards  and  flower-gardens.    It  is  a  stream  famous 
in  old  times  for  yielding  gold,  and  its  sands  are  still  sifted 
occasionally  in  search  of  the  precious  ore.    Some  of  those 
white  pavilions,  which  here  and  there  gleam  from  among 

[103] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

groves  and  vineyards,  were  rustic  retreats  of  the  Moors  to 
enjoy  the  refreshment  of  their  gardens.  Well  have  they  been 
compared  by  one  of  their  poets  to  so  many  pearls  set  in  a 
bed  of  emeralds. 

The  airy  palace,  with  its  tall  white  towers  and  long  arcades, 
which  breasts  yon  mountain,  among  pompous  groves  and 
hanging  gardens,  is  the  Generalife,  a  summer  palace  of  the 
Moorish  kings,  to  which  they  resorted  during  the  sultry 
months  to  enjoy  a  still  more  breezy  region  than  that  of  the 
Alhambra.  The  naked  summit  of  the  height  above  it,  where 
you  behold  some  shapeless  ruins,  is  the  Silla  del  Moro,  or 
Seat  of  the  Moor,  so  called  from  having  been  a  retreat  of  the 
unfortunate  Boabdil  during  the  time  of  an  insurrection,  where 
he  seated  himself  and  looked  down  mournfully  upon  his 
rebellious  city. 

A  murmuring  sound  of  water  now  and  then  rises  from  the 
valley.  It  is  from  the  aqueduct  of  yon  Moorish  mill,  nearly 
at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  The  avenue  of  trees  beyond  is  the 
Alameda,  along  the  bank  of  the  Darro,  a  favorite  resort  in 
evenings  and  a  rendezvous  of  lovers  in  the  summer  nights 
when  the  guitar  may  be  heard  at  a  late  hour  from  the  benches 
along  its  walks.  At  present  you  see  none  but  a  few  loitering 
monks  there  and  a  group  of  water-carriers.  The  latter  are 
burdened  with  water-jars  of  ancient  Oriental  construction, 
such  as  were  used  by  the  Moors.  They  have  been  filled  at 
the  cold  and  limpid  spring  called  the  Fountain  of  Avellanos. 
Yon  mountain  path  leads  to  the  fountain,  a  favorite  resort  of 
Moslems  as  well  as  Christians ;  for  this  is  said  to  be  the 
Adinamar  (Aynu-1-adamar),  the  "  Fountain  of  Tears,"  men 
tioned  by  Ibn  Batuta,  the  traveller,  and  celebrated  in  'the 
histories  and  romances  of  the  Moors. 

[104] 


PANORAMA  FROM  TOWER  OF  COMARES 

You  start !  't  is  nothing  but  a  hawk  that  we  have  frightened 
from  his  nest.  This  old  tower  is  a  complete  breeding-place 
for  vagrant  birds ;  the  swallow  and  martlet  abound  in  every 
chink  and  cranny,  and  circle  about  it  the  whole  day  long ; 
while  at  night,  when  all  other  birds  have  gone  to  rest,  the 
moping  owl  comes  out  of  its  lurking-place,  and  utters  its 
boding  cry  from  the  battlements.  See  how  the  hawk  we  have 
dislodged  sweeps  away  below  us,  skimming  over  the  tops  of 
the  trees,  and  sailing  up  to  the  ruins  above  the  Generalife ! 

I  see  you  raise  your  eyes  to  the  snowy  summit  of  yon  pile 
of  mountains,  shining  like  a  white  summer  cloud  in  the  blue 
sky.  It  is  the  Sierra  Nevada,  the  pride  and  delight  of  Gra 
nada  ;  the  source  of  her  cooling  breezes  and  perpetual  ver 
dure,  of  her  gushing  fountains  and  perennial  streams.  It  is 
this  glorious  pile  of  mountains  which  gives  to  Granada  that 
combination  of  delights  so  rare  in  a  southern  city,  —  the 
fresh  vegetation  and  temperate  airs  of  a  northern  climate, 
with  the  vivifying  ardor  of  a  tropical  sun,  and  the  cloudless 
azure  of  a  southern  sky.  It  is  this  aerial  treasury  of  snow, 
which,  melting  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  the  summer 
.heat,  sends  down  rivulets  and  streams  through  every  glen 
and  gorge  of  the  Alpuxarras,  diffusing  emerald  verdure  and 
fertility  throughout  a  chain  of  happy  and  sequestered  valleys. 

Those  mountains  may  be  well  called  the  glory  of  Granada. 
They  dominate  the  whole  extent  of  Andalusia,  and  may  be 
seen  from  its  most  distant  parts.  The  muleteer  hails  them, 
as  he  views  their  frosty  peaks  from  the  sultry  level  of  the 
plain  ;  and  the  Spanish  mariner  on  the  deck  of  his  bark,  far, 
far  off  on  the  bosom  of  the  blue  Mediterranean,  watches  them 
with  a  pensive  eye,  thinks  of  delightful  Granada,  and  chants, 
in  low  voice,  some  old  romance  about  the  Moors. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

See  to  the  south  at  the  foot  of  those  mountains  a  line  of  arid 
hills,  down  which  a  long  train  of  mules  is  slowly  moving.  Here 
was  the  closing  scene  of  Moslem  domination.  From  the  summit 
of  one  of  those  hills  the  unfortunate  Boabdil  cast  back  his  last 
look  upon  Granada,  and  gave  vent  to  the  agony  of  his  soul.  It  is 
the  spot  famous  in  song  and  story,  "The  last  sigh  of  the  Moor." 
Further  this  way  these  arid  hills  slope  down  into  the  lux 
urious  Vega,  from  which  he  had  just  emerged  :  a  blooming 
wilderness  of  grove  and  garden,  and  teeming  orchard,  with 
the  Xenil  winding  through  it  in  silver  links,  and  feeding 
innumerable  rills  ;  which,  conducted  through  ancient  Moor 
ish  channels,  maintain  the  landscape  in  perpetual  verdure. 
Here  were  the  beloved  bowers  and  gardens,  and  rural  pavil 
ions,  for  which  the  unfortunate  Moors  fought  with  such  des 
perate  valor.  The  very  hovels  and  rude  granges,  now  inhabited 
'by  boors,  show,  by  the  remains  of  arabesques  and  other  taste 
ful  decoration,  that  they  were  elegant  residences  in  the  days 
of  the  Moslems.    Behold,  in  the  very  centre  of  this  eventful 
plain,  a  place  which  in  a  manner  links  the  history  of  the  Old 
World  with  that  of  the  New.    Yon  line  of  walls  and  towers 
gleaming  in  the  morning  sun  is  the  city  of  Santa  Fe,  built  - 
by  the  Catholic  sovereigns  during  the  siege  of  Granada,  after 
a  conflagration  had  destroyed  their  camp.    It  was  to  these 
walls  Columbus  was  called  back  by  the  heroic  queen,  and 
within  them  the  treaty  was  concluded  which  led  to  the  dis 
covery  of  the  Western  World.    Behind  yon  promontory  to 
the  west  is  the  bridge  of  Pinos,  renowned  for  many  a  bloody 
fight  between  Moors  and  Christians.   At  this  bridge  the  mes 
senger  overtook 'Columbus  when,  despairing  of  success  with 
the  Spanish  sovereigns,  he  was  departing  to  carry  his  project 
of  discovery  to  the  court  of  France. 

[106] 


PANORAMA    FROM    TOWER    OF    COMARES 

Above  the  bridge  a  range  of  mountains  bounds  the  Vega 
to  the  west,  —  the  ancient  barrier  between  Granada  and  the 
Christian  territories.  Among  their  heights  you  may  still  dis 
cern  warrior  towns  ;  their  gray  walls  and  battlements  seeming 
of  a  piece  with  the  rocks  on  which  they  are  built.  Here  and 
there  a  solitary  atalaya,  or  watchtower,  perched  on  a  moun 
tain  peak,  lox)ks  down  as  it  were  from  the  sky  into  the  valley 
on  either  side.  How  often  have  these  atalayas  given  notice, 
by  fire  at  night  or  smoke  by  day,  of  an  approaching  foe !  It 
was  down  a  cragged  defile  of  these  mountains,  called  the 
Pass  of  Lope,  that  the  Christian  armies  descended  into  the 
Vega.  Round  the  base  of  yon  gray  and  naked  mountain 
(the  mountain  of  Elvira),  stretching  its  bold  rocky  promontory 
into  the  bosom  of  the  plain,  the  invading  squadrons  would 
come  bursting  into  view,  with  flaunting  banners  and  clangor 
of  drum  and  trumpet. 

Five  hundred  years  have  elapsed  since  Ismael  ben  Ferrag, 
a  Moorish  king  of  Granada,  beheld  from  this  very  tower  an 
invasion  of  the  kind,  and  an  insulting  ravage  of  the  Vega ; 
on  which  occasion  he  displayed  an  instance  of  chivalrous 
magnanimity,  often  witnessed  in  the  Moslem  princes,  "whose 
history,"  says  an  Arabian  writer,  "  abounds  in  generous  actions 
and  noble  deeds  that  will  last  through  all  succeeding  ages, 
and  live  forever  in  the  memory  of  man."  -But  let  us  sit 
down  on  this  parapet,  and  I  will  relate  the  anecdote. 

It  was  in  the  year  of  Grace  1319,  that  Ismael  ben  Ferrag 
beheld  from  this  tower  a  Christian  camp  whitening  the  skirts 
•  of  yon  mountain  of  Elvira.  The  royal  princes,  Don  Juan 
and  Don  Pedro,  regents  of  Castile  during  the  minority  of 
Alphonso  XI,  had  already  laid  waste  the  country  from  Al- 
caudete  to  Alcala  la  Real,  capturing  the  castle  of  Illora,  and 

[107] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

setting  fire  to  its  suburbs,  and  they  now  carried  their  insult 
ing  ravages  to  the  very  gates  of  Granada,  defying  the  king 
to  sally  forth  and  give  them  battle. 

Ismael,  though  a  young  and  intrepid  prince,  hesitated  to 
accept  the  challenge.  He  had  not  sufficient  force  at  hand, 
and  awaited  the  arrival  of  troops  summoned  from  the  neigh 
boring  towns.  The  Christian  princes,  mistaking  his  motives, 
gave  up  all  hope  of  drawing  him  forth,  and  having  glutted 
themselves  with  ravage,  struck  their  tents  and  began  their 
homeward  march.  Don  Pedro  led  the  van,  and  Don  Juan 
brought  up  the  rear,  but  their  march  was  confused  and  irreg 
ular,  the  army  being  greatly  encumbered  by  the  spoils  and 
captives  they  had  taken. 

By  this  time  King  Ismael  had  received  his  expected  re 
sources,  and  putting  them  under  the  command  of  Osmyn, 
one  of  the  bravest  of  his  generals,  sent  them  forth  in  hot 
pursuit  of  the  enemy.  The  Christians  were  overtaken  in  the 
defiles  of  the  mountains.  A  panic  seized  them  ;  they  were 
completely  routed,  and  driven  with  great  slaughter  across  the 
borders.  Both  of  the  princes  lost  their  lives.  The  body  of 
Don  Pedro  was  carried  off  by  his  soldiers,  but  that  of  Don 
Juan  was  lost  in  the  darkness  of  the  night.  His  son  wrote 
to  the  Moorish  king,  entreating  that  the  body  of  his  father 
might  be  sought  and  honorably  treated.  Ismael  forgot  in  a 
moment  that  Don  Juan  was  an  enemy,  who  had  carried  rav 
age  and  insult  to  the  very  gate  of  his  capital ;  he  only  thought 
of  him  as  a  gallant  cavalier  and  a  royal  prince.  By  his  com 
mand  diligent  search  was  made  for  the  body.  It  was  found 
in  a  barranco  and  brought  to  Granada.  There  Ismael  caused 
it  to  be  laid  out  in  state  on  a  lofty  bier,  surrounded  by  torches 
and  tapers,  in  one  of  these  halls  of  the  Alhambra.  Osmyn 

[108] 


PANORAMA  FROM  TOWER  OF  COMARES 

and  other  of  the  noblest  cavaliers  were  appointed  as  a  guard 
of  honor,  and  the  Christian  captives  were  assembled  to  pray 
around  it. 

In  the  meantime,  Ismael  wrote  to  the  son  of  Prince  Juan 
to  send  a  convoy  for  the  body,  assuring  him  it  should  be 
faithfully  delivered  up.  In  due  time,  a  band  of  Christian 
cavaliers  arrived  for  the  purpose.  They  were  honorably  re 
ceived  and  entertained  by  Ismael,  and,  on  their  departure  with 
the  body,  the  guard  of  honor  of  Moslem  cavaliers  escorted 
the  funeral  train  to  the  frontier. 

But  enough  ;  —  the  sun  is  high  above  the  mountains,  and 
pours  his  full  fervor  on  our  heads.  Already  the  terraced  roof 
is  hot  beneath  our  feet ;  let  us  abandon  it,  and  refresh  our 
selves  under  the  arcades  by  the  Fountain  of  the  Lions. 


[I09] 


THE  BALCONY 

I  HAVE  spoken  of  a  balcony  of  the  central  window  of 
the  Hall  of  Ambassadors.  It  served  as  a  kind  of  observ 
atory,  where  I  used  often  to  take  my  seat,  and  consider 
not  merely  the  heaven  above  but  the  earth  beneath.  Besides 
the  magnificent  prospect  which  it  commanded  of  mountain, 
valley,  and  plain,  there  was  a  little  busy  scene  of  human  life 
laid  open  to  inspection  immediately  below.  At  the  foot  of 
the  hill  was  an  alameda,  or  public  walk,  which,  though  not 
so  fashionable  as  the  more  modern  and  splendid  paseo  of 
the  Xenil,  still  boasted  a  varied  and  picturesque  concourse. 
Hither  resorted  the  small  gentry  of  the  suburbs,  together 
with  the  majos  and  majas,  beaux  and  belles  of  the  lower 
classes,  in  their  Andalusian  dresses  ;  swaggering  contraban- 
distas,  and  sometimes  half-muffled  and  mysterious  loungers 
of  the  higher  ranks. 

[kio] 


THE    BALCONY 

It  was  a  moving  picture  of  Spanish  life  and  character, 
which  I  delighted  to  study ;  and  as  the  astronomer  has  his 
grand  telescope  with  which  to  sweep  the  skies,  and,  as  it 
were,  bring  the  stars  nearer  for  his  inspection,  so  I  had  a 
smaller  one,  of  pocket  size,  for  the  use  of  my  observatory, 
with  which  I  could  sweep  the  regions  below,  and  bring  the 
countenances  of  the  motley  groups  so  close  as  almost,  at 
times,  to  make  me  think  I  could  divine  their  conversation 
by  the  play  and  expression  of  their  features.  I  was  thus,  in 
a  manner,  an  invisible  observer,  and,  without  quitting  my 
solitude,  could  throw  myself  in  an  instant  into  the  midst  of 
society,  —  a  rare  advantage  to  one  of  somewhat  shy  and  quiet 
habits,  and  fond,  like  myself,  of  observing  the  drama  of  life 
without  becoming  an  actor  in  the  scene. 

There  was  a  considerable  suburb  lying  below  the  Alham- 
bra,  filling  the  narrow  gorge  of  the  valley,  and  extending  up 
the  opposite  hill  of  the  Albaicin.  Many  of  the  houses  were 
built  in  the  Moorish  style,  round  patios,  or  courts,  cooled  by 
fountains  and  open  to  the  sky  ;  and  as  the  inhabitants  passed 
much  of  their  time  in  these  courts,  and  on  the  terraced  roofs 
during  the  summer  season,  it  follows  that  many  a  glance  at 
their  domestic  life  might  be  obtained  by  an  aerial  spectator 
like  myself,  who  could  look  down  on  them  from  the  clouds. 

I  occasionally  amused  myself  with  noting  from  this  balcony 
the  gradual  changes  of  the  scenes  below,  according  to  the 
different  stages  of  the  day, 

Scarce  has  the  gray  dawn  streaked  the  sky,  and  the  earliest 
cock  crowed  from  the  cottages  of  the  hill-side,  when  the  sub 
urbs  give  sign  of  reviving  animation  ;  for  the  fresh  hours  of 
dawning  are  precious  in  the  summer  season  in  a  sultry  climate. 
All  are  anxious  to  get  the  start  of  the  sun,  in  the  business  of 

[in] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

the  day.  The  muleteer  drives  forth  his  loaded  train  for  the 
journey ;  the  traveller  slings  his  carbine  behind  his  saddle, 
and  mounts  his  steed  at  the  gate  of  the  hostel ;  the  brown 
peasant  from  the  country  urges  forward  his  loitering  beasts, 
laden  with  panniers  of  sunny  fruit  and  fresh  dewy  vegetables, 
for  already  the  thrifty  housewives  are  hastening  to  the  market. 

The  sun  is  up  and  sparkles  along  the  valley,  tipping  the 
transparent  foliage  of  the  groves.  The  matin  bells  resound 
melodiously  through  the  pure,  bright  air,  announcing  the 
hour  of  devotion.  The  muleteer  halts  his  burdened  animals 
before  the  chapel,  thrusts  his  staff  through  his  belt  behind, 
and  enters  with  hat  in  hand,  smoothing  his  coal-black  hair,  to 
put  up  a  prayer  for  a  prosperous  wayfaring  across  the  sierra. 

As  the  morning  advances,  the  din  of  labor  augments  on 
every  side  ;  the  streets  are  thronged  with  man,  and  steed, 
and  beast  of  burden,  and  there  is  a  hum  and  murmur,  like 
the  surges  of  the  ocean.  As  the  sun  ascends  to  his  meridian, 
the  hum  and  bustle  gradually  decline  ;  at  the  height  of  noon 
there  is  a  pause.  The  panting  city  sinks  into  lassitude,  and 
for  several  hours  there  is  a  general  repose.  The  windows 
are  closed,  the  curtains  drawn,  the  inhabitants  retired  into 
the  coolest  recesses  of  their  mansions  ;  the  brawny  porter 
lies  stretched  on  the  pavement  beside  his  burden  ;  the  peas 
ant  and  the  laborer  sleep  beneath  the  trees  of  the  promenade, 
lulled  by  the  sultry  chirping  of  the  locust.  The  streets  are 
deserted,  except  by  the  water-carrier,  who  refreshes  the  ear 
by  proclaiming  the  merits  of  his  sparkling  beverage,  ' '  colder 
than  the  mountain  snow." 

As  the  sun  declines,  there  is  again  a  gradual  reviving, 
and  when  the  vesper  bell  rings  out  his  sinking  knell,  all 
nature  seems  to  rejoice  that  the  tyrant  of  the  day  has  fallen. 

[112] 


THE    BALCONY 

Now  begins  the  bustle  of  enjoyment,  when  the  citizens  pour 
forth  to  breathe  the  evening  air,  and  revel  away  the  brief 
twilight  in  the  walks  and  gardens  of  the  Darro  and  Xenil. 

As  night  closes,  the  capricious  scene  assumes  new  features. 
Light  after  light  gradually  twinkles  forth  ;  here  a  taper  from 
a  balconied  window ;  there  a  votive  lamp  before  the  image 
of  a  Saint.  Thus,  by  degrees,  the  city  emerges  from  the 
pervading  gloom,  and  sparkles  with  scattered  lights,  like  the 
starry  firmament.  Now  break  forth  from  court  and  garden, 
and  street  and  lane,  the  tinkling  of  innumerable  guitars,  and 
the  clicking  of  castanets  ;  blending,  at  this  lofty  height,  in  a 
faint  but  general  concert. 

I  was  one  evening  seated  in  the  balcony,  enjoying  the 
light  breeze  that  came  rustling  along  the  side  of  the  hill, 
among  the  tree-tops,  when  my  humble  historiographer  Mateo, 
who  was  at  my  elbow,  pointed  out  a  spacious  house,  in  an 
obscure  street  of  the  Albaicin,  about  which  he  related,  as 
nearly  as  I  can  recollect,  the  following  anecdote. 


["3] 


THE  ADVENTURE  OF  THE  MASON 

THERE  was  once  upon  a  time  a  poor  mason,  or  brick 
layer,  in  Granada,  who  kept  all  the  saints'  days  and 
holidays,  and  yet,  with  all  his  devotion,  he  grew 
poorer  and  poorer,  and  could  scarcely  earn  bread  for  his 
numerous  family.  One  night  he  was  roused  from  his  first 
sleep  by  a  knocking  at  his  door.  He  opened  it,  and  beheld 
before  him  a  tall,  meagre,  cadaverous-looking  person. 

"Hark  ye,  honest  friend!"  said  the  stranger;  "I  have 
observed  that  you  are  a  good  Christian,  and  one  to  be 
trusted ;  will  you  undertake  a  job  this  very  night  ?  " 

"  With  all  my  heart,  Senor,  on  condition  that  I  am  paid 
accordingly." 

"That  you  shall  be;  but  you  must  suffer  yourself  to  be 
blindfolded." 

To  this  the  mason  made  no  objection.  So,  being  hood 
winked,  he  was  led  by  the  stranger  through  various  rough 


THE   ADVENTURE    OF    THE    MASON 

lanes  and  winding  passages,  until  they  stopped  before  the 
portal  of  a  house.  The  stranger  then  applied  a  key,  turned 
a  creaking  lock,  and  opened  what  sounded  like  a  ponderous 
door.  They  entered,  •  the  door  was  closed  and  bolted,  and 
the  mason  was  conducted  through  an  echoing  corridor  and 
a  spacious  hall  to  an  interior  part  of  the  building.  Here  the 
bandage  was  removed  from  his  eyes,  and  he  found  himself 
in  a  court,  dimly  lighted  by  a  single  lamp.  In  the  centre 
was  the  dry  basin  of  an  old  Moorish  fountain,  under  which 
the  stranger  requested  him  to  form  a  small  vault,  bricks 
and  mortar  being  at  hand  for  the  purpose.  He  accordingly 
worked  all  night,  but  without  finishing  the  job.  Just  before 
daybreak  the  stranger  put  a  piece  of  gold  into  his  hand, 
and  having  again  blindfolded  him,  conducted  him  back 
to  his  dwelling. 

"  Are  you  willing,"  said  he,  "to  return  and  complete 
your  work  ?  " 

"  Gladly,  sefior,  provided  I  am  so  well  paid." 

"  Well,  then,  to-morrow  at  midnight  I  will  call  again." 

He  did  so,  and  the  vault  was  completed. 

"  Now,"  said  the  stranger,  "  you  must  help  me  to  bring 
forth  the  bodies  that  are  to  be  buried  in  this  vault." 

The  poor  mason's  hair  rose  on  his  head  at  these  words : 
he  followed  the  stranger,  with  trembling  steps,  into  a  retired 
chamber  of  the  mansion,  expecting  to  behold  some  ghastly 
spectacle  of  death,  but  was  relieved  on  perceiving  three  or 
four  portly  jars  standing  in  one  corner.  They  were  evidently 
full  of  money,  and  it  was  with  great  labor  that  he  and  the 
stranger  carried  them  forth  and  consigned  them  to  their 
tomb.  The  vault  was  then  closed,  the  pavement  replaced, 
and  all  traces  of  the  work  were  obliterated.  The  mason  was 

["5] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

again  hoodwinked  and  led  forth  by  a  route  different  from 
that  by  which  he  had  come.  After  they  had  wandered  for  a 
long  time  through  a  perplexed  maze  of  lanes  and  alleys,  they 
halted.  The  stranger  then  put  two  pieces  of  gold  into  his 
hand:  "Wait  here,"  said  he,  "  until  you  hear  the  cathedral 
bell  toll  for  matins.  If  you  presume  to  uncover  your  eyes 
before  that  time,  evil  will  befall  you"  :  so  saying,  he  departed. 
The  mason  waited  faithfully,  amusing  himself  by  weighing 
the  gold  pieces  in  his  hand,  and  clinking  them  against  each 
other.  The  moment  the  cathedral  bell  rang  its  matin  peal, 
he  uncovered  his  eyes,  and  found  himself  on  the  banks  of 
the  Xenil ;  whence  he  made  the  best  of  his  way  home,  and 
revelled  with  his  family  for  a  whole  fortnight  on  the  profits 
of  his  two  nights'  work  ;  after  which  he  was  as  poor  as  ever. 
He  continued  to  work  a  little,  and  keep  saints'  days  and 
holidays,  from  year  to  year,  while  his  family  grew  up  as  gaunt 
and  ragged  as  a  crew  of  gypsies.  As  he  was  seated  one  eve 
ning  at  the  door  of  his  hovel,  he  was  accosted  by  a  rich  old 
curmudgeon,  who  was  noted  for  owning  many  houses,  and 
being  a  griping  landlord.  The  man  of  money  eyed  him  for 
a  moment  from  beneath  a  pair  of  anxious  shagged  eyebrows. 
"  I  am  told,  friend,  that  you  are  very  poor." 
"  There  is  no  denying  the  fact,  senor,  —  it  speaks  for 
itself." 

"  I  presume,  then,  that  you  will  be  glad  of  a  job,  and  will 
work  cheap." 

"  As  cheap,  my  master,  as  any  mason  in  Granada." 
"  That 's  what  I  want.    I  have  an  old  house  fallen  into 
decay,  which  costs  me  more  money  than  it  is  worth  to  keep  it 
in  repair,  for  nobody  will  live  in  it ;  so  I  must  contrive  to  patch 
it  up  and  keep  it  together  at  as  small  expense  as  possible." 


liiilll 

J4^«'J*ii>.rtnfaB.  w    l^»i        ItLllil 


STREET   OF   THE   DARRO 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  mason  was  accordingly  conducted  to  a  large  deserted 
house  that  seemed  going  to  ruin.  Passing  through  several 
empty  halls  and  chambers,  he  entered  an  inner  court,  where 
his  eye  was  caught  by  an  old  Moorish  fountain.  He  paused 
for  a  moment,  for  a  dreaming  recollection  of  the  place  came 
over  him. 

11  Pray,"  said  he,  "  who  occupied  this  house  formerly  ?  " 

"  A  pest  upon  him  !  "  cried  the  landlord  ;  "it  was  an  old 
miser,  who  cared  for  nobody  but  himself.  He  was  said  to  be 
immensely  rich,  and,  having  no  relations,  it  was  thought  he 
would  leave  all  his  treasures  to  the  Church.  He  died  suddenly, 
but  nothing  could  be  found  but  a  few  ducats  in  a  leathern 
purse.  The  worst  luck  has  fallen  on  me,  for,  since  his  death, 
the  old  fellow  continues  to  occupy  my  house  without  paying 
rent,  and  there  is  no  taking  the  law  of  a  dead  man.  The 
people  pretend  to  hear  the  clinking  of  gold  all  night  in  the 
chamber  where  the  old  miser  slept,  as  if  he  were  counting 
over  his  money,  and  sometimes  a  groaning  and  moaning 
about  the  court.  Whether  true  or  false,  these  stories  have 
brought  a  bad  name  on  my  house,  and  not  a  tenant  will 
remain  in  it." 

"  Enough,"  said  the  mason  sturdily  :  "  let  me  live  in  your 
house  rent-free  until  some  better  tenant  present,  and  I  will 
engage  to  put  it  in  repair,  and  to  quiet  the  troubled  spirit  that 
disturbs  it.  I  am  a  good  Christian  and  a  poor  man,  and  am 
not  to  be  daunted  by  the  Devil  himself,  even  though  he  should 
come  in  the  shape  of  a  big  bag  of  money !  " 

The  offer  of  the  honest  mason  was  gladly  accepted ;  he 
moved  with  his  family  into  the  house,  and  fulfilled  all  his 
engagements.  By  little  and  little  he  restored  it  to  its  former 
state  ;  the  clinking  of  gold  was  no  more  heard  at  night  in 

[118] 


THE    ADVENTURE    OF    THE    MASON 

the  chamber  of  the  defunct  miser,  but  began  to  be  heard  by 
day  in  the  pocket  of  the  living  mason.  In  a  word,  he  increased 
rapidly  in  wealth,  to  the  admiration  of  all  his  neighbors, 
became  one  of  the  richest  men  in  Granada,  and  never  re 
vealed  the  secret  of  the  vault  until  on  his  death-bed  to  his 
son  and  heir. 


THE  COURT  OF  LIONS 

V  II  1HE  peculiar  charm  of  this  old  dreamy  palace  is  its 
power  of  calling  up  vague  reveries  and  picturings  of 
Ji.  the  past,  and  thus  clothing  naked  realities  with  the 
illusions  of  the  memory  and  the  imagination.  As  I  delight 
to  walk  in  these  "vain  shadows,"  I  am  prone  to  seek  those 
parts  of  the  Alhambra  which  are  most  favorable  to  this  phan 
tasmagoria  of  the  mind  ;  and  none  are  more  so  than  the  Court 
of  Lions,  and  its  surrounding  halls.  Here  the  hand  of  time 
has  fallen  the  lightest,  and  the  traces  of  Moorish  elegance 
and  splendor  exist  in  almost  their  original  brilliancy.  Earth 
quakes  have  shaken  the  foundations  of  this  pile,  and  rent  its 
rudest  towers  ;  yet  see  !  not  one  of  those  slender  columns  has 
been  displaced,  not  an  arch  of  that  light  and  fragile  colonnade 
given  way,  and  all  the  fairy  fretwork  of  these  domes,  appar 
ently  as  unsubstantial  as  the  crystal  fabrics  of  a  morning's 
frost,  exist  after  the  lapse  of  centuries,  almost  as  fresh  as  if 
from  the  hand  of  the  Moslem  artist.  I  write  in  the  midst  of 

[120] 


THE    COURT    OF    LIONS 

these  mementos  of  the  past,  in  the  fresh  hour  of  early  morn 
ing,  in  the  fated  Hall  of  the  Abencerrages.  The  blood-stained 
fountain,  the  legendary  monument  of  their  massacre,  is  before 
me  ;  the  lofty  jet  almost  casts  its  dew  upon  my  paper.  How 
difficult  to  reconcile  the  ancient  tale  of  violence  and  blood 
with  the  gentle  and  peaceful  scene  around  !  Everything  here 
appears  calculated  to  inspire  kind  and  happy  feelings,  for 
everything  is  delicate  and  beautiful.  The  very  light  falls 
tenderly  from  above,  through  the  lantern  of  a  dome  tinted 
and  wrought  as  if  by  fairy  hands.  Through  the  ample  and 
fretted  arch  of  the  portal  I  behold  the  Court  of  Lions,  with 
brilliant  sunshine  gleaming  along  its  colonnades  and  sparkling 
in  its  fountains.  The  lively  swallow  dives  into  the  court,  and, 
rising  with  a  surge,  darts  away  twittering  over  the  roofs  ;  the 
busy  bee  toils  humming  among  the  flower-beds  ;  and  painted 
butterflies  hover  from  plant  to  plant,  and  flutter  up  and  sport 
with  each  other  in  the  sunny  air. 

He,  however,  who  would  behold  this  scene  under  an  aspect 
more  in  unison  with  its  fortunes,  let  him  come  when  the 
shadows  of  evening  temper  the  brightness  of  the  court,  and 
throw  a  gloom  into  the  surrounding  halls.  Then  nothing 
can  be  more  serenely  melancholy,  or  more  in  harmony  with 
the  tale  of  departed  grandeur. 

At  such  times  I  am  apt  to  seek  the  Hall  of  Justice,  whose 
deep  shadowy  arcades  extend  across  the  upper  end  of  the 
court.  Here  was  performed,  in  presence  of  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella  and  their  triumphant  court,  the  pompous  ceremonial 
of  High  Mass,  on  taking  possession  of  the  Alhambra.  The 
very  cross  is  still  to  be  seen  upon  the  wall,  where  the  altar 
was  erected,  and  where  officiated  the  Grand  Cardinal  of 
Spain,  and  others  of  the  highest  religious  dignitaries  of  the 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

land.  I  picture  to  myself  the  scene  when  this  place  was  filled 
with  the  conquering  host,  that  mixture  of  mitred  prelate  and 
shaven  monk,  and  steel-clad  knight  and  silken  courtier  ;  when 
crosses  and  crosiers  and  religious  standards  were  mingled 
with  proud  armorial  ensigns  and  the  banners  of  the  haughty 
chiefs  of  Spain,  and  flaunted  in  triumph  through  these  Mos 
lem  halls.  I  picture  to  myself  Columbus,  the  future  discoverer 
of  a  world,  taking  his  modest  .stand  in  a  remote  corner,  the 
humble  and  neglected  spectator  of  the  pageant.  I  see  in 
imagination  the  Catholic  sovereigns  prostrating  themselves 
before  the  altar,  and  pouring  forth  thanks  for  their  victory ; 
while  the  vaults  resound  with  sacred  minstrelsy,  and  the 
deep-toned  Te  Deum. 

The  transient  illusion  is  over,  —  the  pageant  melts  from 
the  fancy,  —  monarch,  priest,  and  warrior  return  into  oblivion 
with  the  poor  Moslems  over  whom  they  exulted.  The  hall 
of  their  triumph  is  waste  and  desolate.  The  bat  flits  about 
its  twilight  vault,  and  the  owl  hoots  from  the  neighboring 
Tower  of  Comares. 

Entering  the  Court  of  the  Lions  a  few  evenings  since,  I 
was  almost  startled  at  beholding  a  turbaned  Moor  quietly 
seated  near  the  fountain.  For  a  moment  one  of  the  fictions 
of  the  place  seemed  realized :  an  enchanted  Moor  had  broken 
the  spell  of  centuries,  and  become  visible.  He  proved,  how 
ever,  to  be  a  mere  ordinary  mortal,  —  a  native  of  Tetuan,  in 
Barbary,  who  had  a  shop  in  the  Zacatin  of  Granada,  where 
he  sold  rhubarb,  trinkets,  and  perfumes.  As  he  spoke  Span 
ish  fluently,  I  was  enabled  to  hold  conversation  with  him, 
and  found  him  shrewd  and  intelligent.  He  told  me  that  he 
came  up  the  hill  occasionally  in  the  summer,  to  pass  a  part 
of  the  day  in  the  Alhambra,  which  reminded  him  of  the  old 


THE    HALL  OF  JUSTICE 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

palaces  in  Barbary,  being  built  and  adorned  in  similar  style, 
though  with  more  magnificence. 

As  we  walked  about  the  palace,  he  pointed  out  several  of 
the  Arabic  inscriptions,  as  possessing  much  poetic  beauty. 

"Ah,  senor,"  said  he,  "when  the  Moors  held  Granada, 
they  were  a  gayer  people  than  they  are  nowadays.  They 
thought  only  of  love,  music,  and  poetry.  They  made  stanzas 
upon  every  occasion,  and  set  them  all  to  music.  He  who 
could  make  the  best  verses,  and  she  who  had  the  most  tune 
ful  voice,  might  be  sure  of  favor  and  preferment.  In  those 
days,  if  any  one  asked  for  bread,  the  reply  was  '  Make  me  a 
couplet ' ;  and  the  poorest  beggar,  if  he  begged  in  rhyme, 
would  often  be  rewarded  with  a  piece  of  gold." 

"  And  is  the  popular  feeling  for  poetry,"  said  I,  "  entirely 
lost  among  you  ?  " 

"By  no  means,  senor ;  the  people  of  Barbary,  even  those 
of  the  lower  classes,  still  make  couplets  —  and  good  ones 
too  —  as  in  old  times ;  but  talent  is  not  rewarded  as  it  was 
then.  The  rich  prefer  the  jingle  of  their  gold  to  the  sound 
of  poetry  or  music." 

As  he  was  talking,  his  eye  caught  one  of  the  inscriptions 
which  foretold  perpetuity  to  the  power  and  glory  of  the  Mos 
lem  monarchs,  the  masters  of  this  pile.  He  shook  his  head, 
and  shrugged  his  shoulders,  as  he  interpreted  it.  "  Such 
might  have  been  the  case,"  said  he ;  "  the  Moslems  might 
still  have  been  reigning  in  the  Alhambra,  had  not  Boabdil 
been  a  traitor,  and  given  up  his  capital  to  the  Christians.  The 
Spanish  monarchs  would  never  have  been  able  to  conquer  it 
by  open  force." 

I  endeavored  to  vindicate  the  memory  of  the  unlucky 
Boabdil  from  this  aspersion,  and  to  show  that  the  dissensions 


THE    COURT    OF    LIONS 

which  led  to  the  downfall  of  the  Moorish  throne  originated 
in  the  cruelty  of  his  tiger-hearted  father.  But  the  Moor  would 
admit  of  no  palliation. 

"  Muley  Abul  Hassan,"  said  he,  "  might  have  been  cruel ; 
but  he  was  brave,  vigilant,  and  patriotic.  Had  he  been  prop 
erly  seconded,  Granada  would  still  have  been  ours ;  but  his 
son  Boabdil  thwarted  his  plans,  crippled  his  power,  sowed 
treason  in  his  palace  and  dissension  in  his  camp.  May  the 
curse  of  God  light  upon  him  for  his  treachery  !  "  With  these 
words  the  Moor  left  the*  Alhambra. 

The  indignation  of  my  turbaned  companion  agrees  with 
an  anecdote  related  by  a  friend,  who,  in  the  course  of  a  tour 
in  Barbary,  had  an  interview  with  the  Pacha  of  Tetuan.  The 
Moorish  governor  was  particular  in  his  inquiries  about  Spain, 
and  especially  concerning  the  favored  region  of  Andalusia, 
the  delights  of  Granada,  and  the  remains  of  its  royal  palace. 
The  replies  awakened  all  those  fond  recollections,  so  deeply 
cherished  by  the  Moors,  of  the  power  and  splendor  of  their 
ancient  empire  in  Spain.  Turning  to  his  Moslem  attendants, 
the  Pacha  stroked  his  beard,  and  broke  forth  in  passionate 
lamentations  that  such  a  sceptre  should  have  fallen  from  the 
sway  of  true  believers.  He  consoled  himself,  however,  with 
the  persuasion  that  the  power  and  prosperity  of  the  Spanish 
nation  were  on  the  decline  ;  that  a  time  would  come  when 
the  Moors  would  conquer  their  rightful  domains,  and  that  the 
day  was  perhaps  not  far  distant  when  Mohammedan  worship 
would  again  be  offered  up  in  the  mosque  of  Cordova,  and  a 
Mohammedan  prince  sit  on  his  throne  in  the  Alhambra. 

Such  is  the  general  aspiration  and  belief  among  the  Moors 
of  Barbary,  who  consider  Spain,  or  Andaluz,  as  it  was  an 
ciently  called,  their  rightful  heritage,  of  which  they  have  been 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

despoiled  by  treachery  and  violence.  These  ideas  are  fostered 
and  perpetuated  by  the  descendants  of  the  exiled  Moors  of 
Granada,  scattered  among  the  cities  of  Barbary.  Several  of 
these  reside  in  Tetuan,  preserving  their  ancient  names,  such 
as  Paez  and  Medina,  and  refraining  from  intermarriage  with 
any  families  who  cannot  claim  the  same  high  origin.  Their 
vaunted  lineage  is  regarded  with  a  degree  of  popular  deference 
rarely  shown  in  Mohammedan  communities  to  any  hereditary 
distinction,  excepting  in  the  royal  line. 

These  families,  it  is  said,  continue'to  sigh  after  the  terres 
trial  paradise  of  their  ancestors,  and  to  put  up  prayers  in  their 
mosques  on  Fridays,  imploring  Allah  to  hasten  the  time  when 
Granada  shall  be  restored  to  the  faithful :  an  event  to  which 
they  look  forward  as  fondly  and  confidently  as  did  the  Chris 
tian  crusaders  to  the  recovery  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  Nay, 
it  is  added  that  some  of  them  retain  the  ancient  maps  and 
deeds  of  the  estates  and  gardens  of  their  ancestors  at  Granada, 
and  even  the  keys  of  the  houses,  holding  them  as  evidences 
of  their  hereditary  claims,  to  be  produced  at  the  anticipated 
day  of  restoration. 

My  conversation  with  the  Moor  set  me  to  musing  on  the 
fate  of  Boabdil.  Never  was  surname  more  applicable  than 
that  bestowed  upon  him  by  his  subjects,  of  El  Zogoybi,  or 
The  Unlucky.  His  misfortunes  began  almost  in  his  cradle, 
and  ceased  not  even  with  his  death.  If  ever  he  cherished  the 
desire  of  leaving  an  honorable  name  on  the  historic  page,  how 
cruelly  has  he  been  defrauded  of  his  hopes !  Who  is  there 
that  has  turned  the  least  attention  to  the  romantic  history  of 
the  Moorish  domination  in  Spain,  without  kindling  with  in 
dignation  at  the  alleged  atrocities  of  Boabdil  ?  Who  has  not 
been  touched  with  the  woes  of  his  lovely  and  gentle  queen, 


THE  COURT  OF   LIONS 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

subjected  by  him  to  a  trial  of  life  and  death,  on  a  false  charge  ? 
Who  has  not  been  shocked  by  his  alleged  murder  of  his  sister 
and  her  two  children,  in  a  transport  of  passion  ?  Who  has 
not  felt  his  blood  boil  at  the  inhuman  massacre  of  the  gallant 
Abencerrages,  thirty-six  of  whom,  it  is  affirmed,  he  ordered 
to  be  beheaded  in  the  Court  of  Lions  ?  All  these  charges 
have  been  reiterated  in  various  forms ;  they  have  passed  into 
ballads,  dramas,  and  romances,  until  they  have  taken  too  thor 
ough  possession  of  the  public  mind  to  be  eradicated.  There 
is  not  a  foreigner  of  education  that  visits  the  Alhambra  but 
asks  for  the  fountain  where  the  Abencerrages  were  beheaded, 
and  gazes  with  horror  at  the  grated  gallery  where  the  queen 
is  said  to  have  been  confined  ;  not  a  peasant  of  the  Vega  or 
the  Sierra  but  sings  the  story  in  rude  couplets,  to  the  accom 
paniment  of  his  guitar,  while  his  hearers  learn  to  execrate 
the  very  name  of  Boabdil. 

Never,  however,  was  name  more  foully  and  unjustly  slan 
dered.  I  have  examined  all  the  authentic  chronicles  and  let 
ters  written  by  Spanish  authors  contemporary  with  Boabdil ; 
some  of  whom  were  in  the  confidence  of  the  Catholic  sover 
eigns,  and  actually  present  in  the  camp  throughout  the  war. 
I  have  examined  all  the  Arabian  authorities  I  could  get  access 
to,  through  the  medium  of  translation,  and  have  found  noth 
ing  to  justify  these  dark  and  hateful  accusations.  The  most 
of  these  tales  may  be  traced  to  a  work  commonly  called  "The 
Civil  Wars  of  Granada,"  containing  a  pretended  history  of 
the  feuds  of  the  Zegris  and  Abencerrages,  during  the  last 
struggle  of  the  Moorish  empire.  The  work  appeared  origi 
nally  in  Spanish,  and  professed  to  be  translated  from  the 
Arabic  by  one  Gines  Perez  de  Hita,  an  inhabitant  of  Murcia. 
It  has  since  passed  into  various  languages,  and  Florian  has 


THE    COURT    OF    LIONS 

taken  from  it  much  of  the  fable  of  his  Gonzalvo  of  Cordova. 
It  has  thus,  in  a  great  measure,  usurped  the  authority  of  real 
history,  and  is  currently  believed  by  the  people,  and  especially 
the  peasantry  of  Granada.  The  whole  of  it,  however,  is  a 
mass  of  fiction,  mingled  with  a  few  disfigured  truths,  which 
give  it  an  air  of  veracity.  It  bears  internal  evidence  of  its 
falsity  ;  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Moors  being  extrav 
agantly  misrepresented  in  it,  and  scenes  depicted  totally  in 
compatible  with  their  habits  and  their  faith,  and  which  never 
could  have  been  recorded  by  a  Mohammedan  writer. 

I  confess  there  seems  to  me  something  almost  criminal  in 
the  wilful  perversions  of  this  work  :  great  latitude  is  undoubt 
edly  to  be  allowed  to  romantic  fiction,  but  there  are  limits 
which  it  must  not  pass  ;  and  the  names  of  the  distinguished 
dead,  which  belong  to  history,  are  no  more  to  be  calumniated 
than  those  of  the  illustrious  living.  One  would  have  thought, 
too,  that  the  unfortunate  Boabdil  had  suffered  enough  for  his 
justifiable  hostility  to  the  Spaniards,  by  being  stripped  of  his 
kingdom,  without  having  his  name  thus  wantonly  traduced, 
and  rendered  a  by-word  and  a  theme  of  infamy  in  his  native 
land,  and  in  the  very  mansion  of  his  fathers  ! 


[129] 


MEMENTOS  OF  BOABDIL 

HILE  my  mind  was  still  warm  with  the  subject  of 

Wthe  unfortunate  Boabdil,  I  set  forth  to  trace  the 
mementos  of  him  still  existing  in  this  scene  of  his 
sovereignty  and  misfortunes.  In  the  Tower  of  Comares, 
immediately  under  the  Hall  of  Ambassadors,  are  two  vaulted 
rooms,  separated  by  a  narrow  passage.  These  are  said  to 
have  been  the  prisons  of  himself  and  his  mother,  the  virtuous 
Ayxa  la  Horra.  Indeed,  no  other  part  of  the  tower  would 
have  served  for  the  purpose.  The  external  walls  of  these 
chambers  are  of  prodigious  thickness,  pierced  with  small 
windows  secured  by  iron  bars.  A  narrow  stone  gallery,  with 
a  low  parapet,  extends  along  three  sides  of  the  tower  just 
below  the  windows,  but  at  a  considerable  height  from  the 
ground.  From  this  gallery,  it  is  presumed,  the  queen  lowered 


MEMENTOS    OF    BOABDIL 

her  son  with  the  scarfs  of  herself  and  her  female  attendants 
during  the  darkness  of  the  night  to  the  hillside,  where  some 
of  his  faithful  adherents  waited  with  fleet  steeds  to  bear  him 
to  the  mountains. 

Between  three  and  four  hundred  years  have  elapsed,  yet 
this  scene  of  the  drama  remains  almost  unchanged.  As  I 
paced  the  gallery,  my  imagination  pictured  the  anxious  queen 
leaning  over  the  parapet,  listening,  with  the  throbbings  of  a 
mother's  heart,  to  the  last  echoes  of  the  horses'  hoofs  as  her 
son  scoured  along  the  narrow  valley  of  the  Darro. 

I  next  sought  the  gate  by  which  Boabdil  made  his  last  exit 
from  the  Alhambra,  when  about  to  surrender  his  capital  and 
kingdom.  With  the  melancholy  caprice  of  a  broken  spirit, 
or  perhaps  with  some  superstitious  feeling,  he  requested  of 
the  Catholic  monarchs  that  no  one  afterwards  might  be  per 
mitted  to  pass  through  it.  His  prayer,  according  to  ancient 
chronicles,  was  complied  with,  through  the  sympathy  of 
Isabella,  and  the  gate  was  walled  up. 

I  inquired  for  some  time  in  vain  for  such  a  portal.  At 
length  my  humble  attendant,  Mateo  Ximenes,  said  it  must 
be  one  closed  up  with  stones,  which,  according  to  what  he 
had  heard  from  his  father  and  grandfather,  was  the  gateway 
by  which  King  Chico  had  left  the  fortress.  There  was  a 
mystery  about  it,  and  it  had  never  been  opened  within  the 
memory  of  the  oldest  inhabitant. 

He  conducted  me  to  the  spot.  The  gateway  is  in  the  centre 
of  what  was  once  an  immense  pile,  called  the  Tower  of  the 
Seven  Floors  (La  Torre  de  los  Siete  Suelos).  It  is  famous 
in  the  neighborhood  as  the  scene  of  strange  apparitions  and 
Moorish  enchantments.  According  to  Swinburne,  the  traveller, 
it  was  originally  the  great  gate  of  entrance.  The  antiquaries, 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

of  Granada  pronounce  it  the  entrance  to  that  quarter  of  the 
royal  residence  where  the  king's  body-guards  were  stationed. 
It,  therefore,  might  well  form  an  immediate  entrance  and 
exit  to  the  palace  ;  while  the  grand  Gate  of  Justice  served  as 
the  entrance  of  state  to  the  fortress.  When  Boabdil  sallied 
by  this  gate  to  descend  to  the  Vega,  where  he  was  to  sur 
render  the  keys  of  the  city  to  the  Spanish  sovereigns,  he  left 
his  vizier,  Aben  Comixa,  to  receive  at  the  Gate  of  Justice  the 
detachment  from  the  Christian  army  and  the  officers  to  whom 
the  fortress  was  to  be  given  up. 

The  once  redoubtable  Tower  of  the  Seven  Floors  is  now 
a  mere  wreck,  having  been  blown  up  with  gunpowder  by  the 
French,  when  they  abandoned  the  fortress.  Great  masses  of 
the  wall  lie  scattered  about,  buried  in  luxuriant  herbage,  or 
overshadowed  by  vines  and  fig-trees.  The  arch  of  the  gate 
way,  though  rent  by  the  shock,  still  remains  ;  but  the  last  wish 
of  poor  Boabdil  has  again,  though  unintentionally,  been  ful 
filled,  for  the  portal  has  been  closed  up  by  loose  stones 
gathered  from  the  ruins,  and  remains  impassable. 

Mounting  my  horse,  I  followed  up  the  route  of  the  Moslem 
monarch  from  this  place  of  his  exit.  Crossing  the  hill  of 
Los  Martyros,  and  keeping  along  the  garden  wall  of  a  convent 
bearing  the  same  name,  I  descended  a  rugged  ravine  beset 
by  thickets  of  aloes  and  Indian  figs,  and  lined  with  caves  and 
hovels  swarming  with  gypsies.  The  descent  was  so  steep 
and  broken  that  I  was  fain  to  alight  and  lead  my  horse.  By 
this  via  dolorosa  poor  Boabdil  took  his  sad  departure  to  avoid 
passing  through  the  city  ;  partly,  perhaps,  through  unwilling 
ness  that  its  inhabitants  should  behold  his  humiliation ;  but 
chiefly,  in  all  probability,  lest  it  might  cause  some  popular  agi 
tation.  For  the  last  reason,  undoubtedly,  the  detachment  sent 
to  take  possession  of  the  fortress  ascended  by  the  same  route. 

r i 


MEMENTOS    OF    BOABDIL 

Emerging  from  this  rough  ravine,  so  full  of  melancholy 
associations,  and  passing  by  the  Puerta  de  los  Molinos  (the 
Gate  of  the  Mills),  I  issued  forth  upon  the  public  promenade 
called  the  Prado ;  and  pursuing  the  course  of  the  Xenil, 
arrived  at  a  small  chapel,  once  a  mosque,  now  the  Hermitage 
of  San  Sebastian.  Here,  according  to  tradition,  Boabdil  sur 
rendered  the  keys  of  Granada  to  King  Ferdinand.  I  rode 
slowly  thence  across  the  Vega  to  a  village  where  the  family 
and  household  of  the  unhappy  king  awaited  him,  for  he  had 
sent  them  forward  on  the  preceding  night  from  the  Alhambra, 
that  his  mother  and  wife  might  not  participate  in  his  personal 
humiliation,  or  be  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  the  conquerors. 
Following  -on  in  the  route  of  the  melancholy  band  of  royal 
exiles,  I  arrived  at  the  foot  of  a  chain  of  barren  and  dreary 
heights,  forming  the  skirt  of  the  Alpuxarra  mountains.  From 
the  summit  of  one  of  these  the  unfortunate  Boabdil  took  his 
last  look  at  Granada ;  it  bears  a  name  expressive  of  his  sor 
rows,  La  Cuesta  de  las  Lagrimas  (the  Hill  of  Tears).  Be 
yond  it,  a  sandy  road  winds  across  a  rugged,  cheerless  waste, 
doubly  dismal  to  the  unhappy  monarch,  as  it  led  to  exile. 

I  spurred  my  horse  to  the  summit  of  a  rock,  where  Boabdil 
uttered  his  last  sorrowful  exclamation,  as  he  turned  his  eyes 
from  taking  a  farewell  gaze  :  it  is  still  denominated  El  Ultimo 
Suspiro  del  Moro  (the  Last  Sigh  of  the  Moor).  Who  can 
wonder  at  his  anguish  at  being  expelled  from  such  a  kingdom 
and  such  an  abode  ?  With  the  Alhambra  he  seemed  to  be 
yielding  up  all  the  honors  of  his  line,  and  all  the  glories  and 
delights  of  life. 

It  was  here,  too,  that  his  affliction  was  embittered  by  the 
reproach  of  his  mother,  Ayxa,  who  had  so  often  assisted  him 
in  times  of  peril,  and  had  vainly  sought  to  instil  into  him  her 
own  resolute  spirit.  M  You  do  well,"  said  she,  "  to  weep  as  a 

r  ,.,„  i 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

woman  over  what  you  could  not  defend  as  a  man  "  ;  a  speech 
savoring  more  of  the  pride  of  the  princess  than  the  tenderness 
of  the  mother. 

When  this  anecdote  was  related  to  Charles  V,  by  Bishop 
Guevara,  the  emperor  joined  in  the  expression  of  scorn  at  the 
weakness  of  the  wavering  Boabdil.  "  Had  I  been  he,  or  he 
been  I,"  said  the  haughty  potentate,  "  I  would  rather  have 
made  this  Alhambra  my  sepulchre  than  have  lived  without  a 
kingdom  in  the  Alpuxarra."  How  easy  it  is  for  those  in 
power  and  prosperity  to  preach  heroism  to  the  vanquished  ! 
How  little  can  they  understand  that  life  itself  may  rise  in 
value  with  the  unfortunate,  when  naught  but  life  remains ! 

Slowly  descending  the  Hill  of  Tears,  I  let  my  .horse  take 
his  own  loitering  gait  back  to  Granada,  while  I  turned  the 
story  of  the  unfortunate  Boabdil  over  in  my  mind.  In  sum 
moning  up  the  particulars,  I  found  the  balance  inclining  in 
his  favor.  Throughout  the  whole  of  his  brief,  turbulent,  and 
disastrous  reign,  he  gives  evidence  of  a  mild  and  amiable 
character.  He,  in  the  first  instance,  won  the  hearts  of  his 
people  by  his  affable  and  gracious  manners  ;  he  was  always 
placable,  and  never  inflicted  any  severity  of  punishment  upon 
those  who  occasionally  rebelled  against  him.  He  was  per 
sonally  brave,  but  wanted  moral  courage  ;  and,  in  times  of 
difficulty  and  perplexity,  was  wavering  and  irresolute.  This 
feebleness  of  spirit  hastened  his  downfall,  while  it  deprived 
him  of  that  heroic  grace  which  would  have  given  grandeur 
and  dignity  to  his  fate,  and  rendered  him  worthy  of  closing 
the  splendid  drama  of  the  Moslem  domination  in  Spain. 


I 


LOCAL  TRADITIONS 

THE  common  people  of  Spain  have  an  Oriental  passion 
for  story-telling,  and  are  fond  of  the  marvellous.  They 
will  gather  round  the  doors  of  their  cottages  in  sum 
mer  evenings,  or  in  the  great  cavernous  chimney-corners  of 
the  ventas  in  the  winter,  and  listen  with  insatiable  delight  to 
miraculous  legends  of  saints,  perilous  adventures  of  travellers, 
and  daring  exploits  of  robbers  and  contrabandistas.  The  wild 
and  solitary  character  of  the  country,  the  imperfect  diffusion 
of  knowledge,  the  scarceness  of  general  topics  of  conversa 
tion,  and  the  romantic  adventurous  life  that  every  one  leads 
in  a  land  where  travelling  is  yet  in  its  primitive  state,  all  con 
tribute  to  cherish  this  love  of  oral  narration,  and  to  produce 
a  strong  infusion  of  the  extravagant  and  incredible.  There  is 
no  theme,  however,  more  prevalent  and  popular  than  that  of 
treasures  buried  by  the  Moors  ;  it  pervades  the  whole  country. 
In  traversing  the  wild  sierras,  the  scenes  of  ancient  foray  and 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

exploit,  you  cannot  see  a  Moorish  atalaya,  or  watch-tower, 
perched  among  the  cliffs,  or  beetling  above  its  rock-built  vil 
lage,  but  your  muleteer,  on  being  closely  questioned,  will  sus 
pend  the  smoking  of  his  cigarrillo  to  tell  some  tale  of  Moslem 
gold  buried  beneath  its  foundations ;  nor  is  there  a  ruined 
alcazar  in  a  city  but  has  its  golden  tradition,  handed  down 
from  generation  to  generation  among  the  poor  people  of  the 
neighborhood. 

These,  like  most  popular  fictions,  have  sprung  from  some 
scanty  groundwork  of  fact.  During  the  wars  between  Moor 
and  Christian,  which  distracted  this  country  for  centuries,  towns 
and  castles  were  liable  frequently  and  suddenly  to  change 
owners,  and  the  inhabitants,  during  sieges  and  assaults,  were 
fain  to  bury  their  money  and  jewels  in  the  earth,  or  hide 
them  in  vaults  and  wells,  as  is  often  done  at  the  present  day 
in  the  despotic  and  belligerent  countries  of  the  East.  At  the 
time  of  the  expulsion  of  the  Moors  also,  many  of  them  con 
cealed  their  most  precious  effects,  hoping  that  their  exile  would 
be  but  temporary,  and  that  they  would  be  enabled  to  return 
and  retrieve  their  treasures  at  some  future  day.  It  is  certain 
that  from  time  to  time  hoards  of  gold  and  silver  coin  have 
been  accidentally  digged  up,  after  a  lapse  of  centuries,  from 
among  the  ruins  of  Moorish  fortresses  and  habitations ;  and 
it  requires  but  a  few  facts  of  the  kind  to  give  birth  to  a  thou 
sand  fictions. 

The  stories  thus  originating  have  generally  something  of 
an  Oriental  tinge,  and  are  marked  with  that  mixture  of  the 
Arabic  and  the  Gothic  which  seems  to  me  to  characterize 
everything  in  Spain,  and  especially  in  its  southern  provinces. 
The  hidden  wealth  is  always  laid  under  magic  spell,  and 
secured  by  charm  and  talisman.  Sometimes  it  is  guarded  by 


'  I   I 


RUINS  OF  OLD   AQUEDUCT  WHICH   ONCE  SUPPLIED  THE 
ALHAMBRA  WITH   WATER 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

uncouth  monsters  or  fiery  dragons,  sometimes  by  enchanted 
Moors,  who  sit  by  it  in  armor,  with  drawn  swords,  but  motion 
less  as  statues,  maintaining  a  sleepless  watch  for  ages. 

The  Alhambra  of  course,  from  the  peculiar  circumstances 
of  its  history,  is  a  stronghold  for  popular  fictions  of  the  kind  ; 
and  various  relics,  digged  up  from  time  to  time,  have  con 
tributed  to  strengthen  them.  At  one  time  an  earthen  vessel 
was  found  containing  Moorish  coins  and  the  skeleton  of  a 
cock,  which,  according  to  the  opinion  of  certain  shrewd  in 
spectors,  must  have  been  buried  alive.  At  another  time  a 
vessel  was  dug  up  containing  a  great  scarabceus  or  beetle  of 
baked  clay,  covered  with  Arabic  inscriptions,  which  was  pro 
nounced  a  prodigious  amulet  of  occult  virtues.  In  this  way 
the  wits  of  the  ragged  brood  who  inhabit  the  Alhambra  have 
been  set  wool-gathering,  until  there  is  not  a  hall,  nor  tower, 
nor  vault,  of  the  old  fortress,  that  has  not  been  made  the 
scene  of  some  marvellous  tradition.  Having,  I  trust,  in  the 
preceding  papers  made  the  reader  in  some  degree  familiar 
with  the  localities  of  the  Alhambra,  I  shall  now  launch  out 
more  largely  into  the  wonderful  legends  connected  with  it, 
and  which  I  have  diligently  wrought  into  shape  and  form, 
from  various  legendary  scraps  and  hints  picked  up  in  the 
course  of  my  perambulations,  —  in  the  same  manner  that  an 
antiquary  works  out  a  regular  historical  document  from  a  few 
scattered  letters  of  an  almost  defaced  inscription. 

If  anything  in  these  legends  should  shock  the  faith  of  the 
over-scrupulous  reader,  he  must  remember  the  nature  of  the 
place  and  make  due  allowances.  He  must  not  expect  here 
the  same  laws  of  probability  that  govern  commonplace  scenes 
and  every-day  life  ;  he  must  remember  that  he  treads  the  halls 
of  an  enchanted  palace,  and  that  all  is  "haunted  ground." 


THE  HOUSE  OF  THE  WEATHERCOCK 

THE  brow  of  the  lofty  hill  of  the  Albaicin,  the 
highest  part  of  Granada,  and  which  rises  from  the 
narrow  valley  of  the  Darro,  directly  opposite  to 
the  Alhambra,  stands  all  that  is  left  of  what  was  once  a  royal 
palace  of  the  Moors.  It  has,  in  fact,  fallen  into  such  obscurity, 
that  it  cost  me  much  trouble  to  find  it,  though  aided  in  my 
researches  by  the  sagacious  and  all-knowing  Mateo  Ximenes. 
This  edifice  has  borne  for  centuries  the  name  of  "  The  House 
of  the  Weathercock  "  (La  Casa  del  Gallo  de  Viento),  from 
a  bronze  figure  on  one  of  its  turrets,  in  ancient  times,  of  a 
warrior  on  horseback,  and  turning  with  every  breeze.  This 
weathercock  was  considered  by  the  Moslems  of  Granada,  a 
portentous  talisman.  According  to  some  traditions,  it  bore 
an  Arabic  inscription  which  has  been  rendered  into  Spanish : 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Dice  el  sabio  Aben  Habuz, 
Que  asi  se  defiende  el  Anduluz. 

And  into  English : 

In  this  way,  says  Aben  Habuz  the  Wise, 
Andaluz  guards  against  surprise. 

This  Aben  Habuz,  according  to  some  of  the  Moorish 
chronicles,  was  a  captain  in  the  invading  army  of  Taric,  one 
of  the  conquerors  of  Spain,  who  left  him  as  Alcayde  of 
Granada.  He  is  supposed  to  have  intended  this  effigy  as  a 
perpetual  warning  to  the  Moslems  of  Andaluz,  that,  sur 
rounded  by  foes,  their  safety  depended  upon  their  being 
always  on  their  guard  and  ready  for  the  field. 

Others,  among  whom  is  the  Christian  historian  Marmol, 
affirm  "  Badis  Aben  Habus"  to  have  been  a  Moorish  Sultan 
of  Granada,  and  that  the  weathercock  was  intended  as  a  per 
petual  admonition  of  the  instability  of  Moslem  power,  bear 
ing  the  following  words  in  Arabic : 

"  Thus  Ibn  Habus  al  badise  predicts  Andalus  shall  one 
day  vanish  and  pass  away." 

Another  version  of  this  portentous  inscription  is  given  by 
a  Moslem  historian,  on  the  authority  of  Sidi  Hasan,  a  faquir 
who  flourished  about  the  time  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  and 
who  was  present  at  the  taking  down  of  the  weathercock,  when 
the  old  Kassaba  was  undergoing  repairs. 

"  I  saw  it,"  says  the  venerable  faquir,  "with  my  own 
eyes ;  it  was  of  a  heptagonal  shape,  and  had  the  following 
inscription  in  verse  : 

*  The  palace  at  fair  Granada  presents  a  talisman.' 

"  '  The  horseman,  though  a  solid  body,  turns  with  every 
wind.' 

[140] 


THE    HOUSE    OF    THE   WEATHERCOCK 

1  This  to  a  wise  man  reveals  a  mystery.  In  a  little  while 
comes  a  calamity  to  ruin  both  the  palace  and  its  owner.'  " 

In  effect  it  was  not  long  after  this  meddling  with  the  por 
tentous  weathercock  that  the  following  event  occurred.  As 
old  Muley  Abul  Hassan,  the  king  of  Granada,  was  seated 
under  a  sumptuous  pavilion,  reviewing  his  troops,  who 
paraded  before  him  in  armor  of  polished  steel  and  gorgeous 
silken  robes,  mounted  on  fleet  steeds,  and  equipped  with 
swords,  spears,  and  shields  embossed  with  gold  and  silver,  — 
suddenly  a  tempest  was  seen  hurrying  from  the  southwest. 
In  a  little  while  black  clouds  overshadowed  the  heavens  and 
burst  forth  with  a  deluge  of  rain.  Torrents  came  roaring 
down  from  the  mountains,  bringing  with  them  rocks  and 
trees ;  the  Darro  overflowed  its  banks ;  mills  were  swept 
away,  bridges  destroyed,  gardens  laid  waste ;  the  inundation 
rushed  into  the  city,  undermining  houses,  drowning  their 
inhabitants,  and  overflowing  even  the  square  of  the  Great 
Mosque.  The  people  rushed  in  affright  to  the  mosques  to 
implore  the  mercy  of  Allah,  regarding  this  uproar  of  the 
elements  as  the  harbinger  of  dreadful  calamities ;  and,  indeed, 
according  to  the  Arabian  historian  Al  Makkari,  it  was  but  a 
type  and  prelude  of  the  direful  war  which  ended  in  the 
downfall  of  the  Moslem  kingdom  of  Granada. 

I  have  thus  given  historic  authorities  sufficient  to  show 
the  portentous  mysteries  connected  with  the  House  of  the 
Weathercock,  and  its  talismanic  horseman. 

I  now  proceed  to  relate  still  more  surprising  things  about 
Aben  Habuz  and  his  palace  ;  for  the  truth  of  which,  should 
any  doubt  be  entertained,  I  refer  the  dubious  reader  to  Mateo 
Ximenes  and  his  fellow-historiographers  of  the  Alhambra 


LEGEND  OF  THE  ARABIAN  ASTROLOGER 

IN   OLD  times,  many  hundred  years  ago,  there  was  a 
Moorish  king  named  Aben  Habuz,  who  reigned  over 
the  kingdom  of  Granada.    He  was  a  retired  conqueror, 
that  is  to  say,  one  who,  having  in  his  more  youthful  days  led 
a  life  of  constant  foray  and  depredation,  now  that  he  was  grown 
feeble  and  superannuated,  "  languished  for  repose,"  and  de 
sired  nothing  more  than  to  live  at  peace  with  all  the  world, 
to  husband  his  laurels,  and  to  enjoy  in  quiet  the  possessions 
he  had  wrested  from  his  neighbors. 

It  so  happened,  however,  that  this  most  reasonable  and 
pacific  old  monarch  had  young  rivals  to  deal  with ;  princes 
full  of  his  early  passion  for  fame  and  fighting,  and  who 
were  disposed  to  call  him  to  account  for  the  scores  he  had 
run  up  with  their  fathers.  Certain  distant  districts  of  his 


LEGEND    OF   THE   ARABIAN   ASTROLOGER 

own  territories,  also,  which  during  the  days  of  his  vigor  he 
had  treated  with  a  high  hand,  were  prone,  now  that  he  lan 
guished  for  repose,  to  rise  in  rebellion  and  threaten  to 
invest  him  in  his  capital.  Thus  he  had  foes  on  every  side ; 
and  as  Granada  is  surrounded  by  wild  and  craggy  mountains, 
which  hide  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  the  unfortunate  Aben 
Habuz  was  kept  in  a  constant  state  of  vigilance  and  alarm, 
not  knowing  in  what  quarter  hostilities  might  break  out. 

It  was  in  vain  that  he  built  watch-towers  on  the  moun 
tains,  and  stationed  guards  at  every  pass  with  orders  to 
make  fires  by  night  and  smoke  by  day,  on  the  approach  of 
an  enemy.  His  alert  foes,  baffling  every  precaution,  would 
break  out  of  some  unthought-of  defile,  ravage  his  lands 
beneath  his  very  nose,  and  then  make  off  with  prisoners  and 
booty  to  the  mountains.  Was  ever  peaceable  and  retired 
conqueror  in  a  more  uncomfortable  predicament  ? 

While  Aben  Habuz  was  harassed  by  these  perplexities 
and  molestations,  an  ancient  Arabian  physician  arrived  at 
his  court.  His  gray  beard .  descended  to  his  girdle,  and  he 
had  every  mark  of  extreme  age,  yet  he  had  travelled  almost 
the  whole  way  from  Egypt  on  foot,  with  no  other  aid  than 
a  staff,  marked  with  hieroglyphics.  His  fame  had  preceded 
him.  His  name  was  Ibrahim ;  he  was  said  to  have  lived 
ever  since  the  days  of  Mahomet,  and  to  be  son  of  Abu  Ayub, 
the  last  of  the  companions  of  the  Prophet.  He  had,  when 
a  child,  followed  the  conquering  army  of  Amru  into  Egypt, 
where  he  had  remained  many  years  studying  the  dark  sciences, 
and  particularly  magic,  among  the  Egyptian  priests. 

It  was,  moreover,  said  that  he  had  found  out  the  secret 
of  prolonging  life,  by  means  of  which  he  had  arrived  to  the 
great  age  of  upwards  of  two  centuries,  though,  as  he  did  not 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

discover  the  secret  until  well  stricken  in  years,  he  could  only 
perpetuate  his  gray  hairs  and  wrinkles. 

This  wonderful  old  man  was  honorably  entertained  by  the 
king ;  who,  like  most  superannuated  monarchs,  began  to  take 
physicians  into  great  favor.  He  would  have  assigned  him  an 
apartment  in  his  palace,  but  the  astrologer  preferred  a  cave 
in  the  side  of  the  hill  which  rises  above  the  city  of  Granada, 
being  the  same  on  which  the  Alhambra  has  since  been  built. 
He  caused  the  cave  to  be  enlarged  so  as  to  form  a  spacious 
and  lofty  hall,  with  a  circular  hole  at  the  top,  through  which, 
as  through  a  well,  he  could  see  the  heavens  and  behold  the 
stars  even  at  mid-day.  The  walls  of  this  hall  were  covered 
with  Egyptian  hieroglyphics  with  cabalistic  symbols,  and  with 
the  figures  of  the  stars  in  their  signs.  This  hall  he  furnished 
with  many  implements,  fabricated  under  his  directions  by  cun 
ning  artificers  of  Granada,  but  the  occult  properties  of  which 
were  known  only  to  himself. 

In  a  little  while  the  sage  Ibrahim  became  the  bosom  coun 
sellor  of  the  king,  who  applied  to  him  for  advice  in  every 
emergency.  Aben  Habuz  was  once  inveighing  against  the 
injustice  of  his  neighbors,  and  bewailing  the  restless  vigilance 
he  had  to  observe  to  guard  himself  against  their  invasions ; 
when  he  had  finished,  the  astrologer  remained  silent  for  a 
moment,  and  then  replied,  "  Know,  O  king,  that,  when  I  was 
in  Egypt,  I  beheld  a  great  marvel  devised  by  a  pagan  priestess 
of  old.  On  a  mountain,  above  the  city  of  Borsa,  and  over 
looking  the  great  valley  of  the  Nile,  was  a  figure  of  a  ram, 
and  above  it  a  figure  of  a  cock,  both  of  molten  brass,  and 
turning  upon  a  pivot.  Whenever  the  country  was  threatened 
with  invasion,  the  ram  would  turn  in  the  direction  of  the 
enemy,  and  the  cock  would  crow ;  upon  this  the  inhabitants 


LEGEND    OF    THE   ARABIAN    ASTROLOGER 

of  the  city  knew  of  the  danger,  and  of  the  quarter  from  which 
it  was  approaching,  and  could  take  timely  means  to  guard 
against  it." 

"Allah  is  great!"  exclaimed  the  pacific  Aben  Habuz, 
"  what  a  treasure  would  be  such  a  ram  to  keep  an  eye  upon 
these  mountains  around  me  ;  and  then  such  a  cock,  to  crow 
in  time  of  danger !  Allah  is  great !  how  securely  I  might 
sleep  in  my  palace  with  such  sentinels  on  the  top !  " 

The  astrologer  waited  until  the  ecstasies  of  the  king  had 
subsided,  and  then  proceeded  : 

"After  the  victorious  Amru  (may  he  rest  in  peace  !)  had 
finished  his  conquest  of  Egypt,  I  remained  among  the  priests 
of  the  land,  studying  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  their  idola 
trous  faith,  and  seeking  to  make  myself  master  of  the  hidden 
knowledge  for  which  they  are  renowned.  I  was  one  day 
seated  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  conversing  with  an  ancient 
priest,  when  he  pointed  to  the  mighty  pyramids  which  rose 
like  mountains  out  of  the  neighboring  desert.  '  All  that  we 
can  teach  thee,'  said  he,  '  is  nothing  to  the  knowledge  locked 
up  in  those  mighty  piles.  In  the  centre  of  the  central  pyra 
mid  is  a  sepulchral  chamber,  in  which  is  enclosed  the  mummy 
of  the  high-priest  who  aided  in  rearing  that  stupendous  pile  ; 
and  with  him  is  buried  a  wondrous  book  of  knowledge,  con 
taining  all  the  secrets  of  magic  and  art.  This  book  was  given 
to  Adam  after  his  fall,  and  was  handed  down  from  genera 
tion  to  generation  to  King  Solomon  the  Wise,  and  by  its  aid 
he  built  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem.  How  it  came  into  the 
possession  of  the  builder  of  the  pyramids  is  known  to  Him 
alone  who  knows  all  things.' 

"  When  I  heard  these  words  of  the  Egyptian  priest,  my 
heart  burned  to  get  possession  of  that  book.    I  could  command 

['45] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

the  services  of  many  of  the  soldiers  of  our  conquering  army, 
and  of  a  number  of  the  native  Egyptians  :  with  these  I  set 
to  work,  and  pierced  the  solid  mass  of  the  pyramid,  until, 
after  great  toil,  I  came  upon  one  of  its  interior  and  hidden 
passages.  Following  this  up,  and  threading  a  fearful  laby 
rinth,  I  penetrated  into  the  very  heart  of  the  pyramids,  even 
to  the  sepulchral  chamber,  where  the  mummy  of  the  high- 
priest  had  lain  for  ages.  I  broke  through  the  outer  cases  of 
the  mummy,  unfolded  its  many  wrappers  and  bandages,  and 
at  length  found  the  precious  volume  on  its  bosom.  I  seized 
it  with  a  trembling  hand,  and  groped  my  way  out  of  the  pyra 
mid,  leaving  the  mummy  in  its  dark  and  silent  sepulchre, 
there  to  await  the  final  day  of  resurrection  and  judgment." 

"  Son  of  Abu  Ayub,"  exclaimed  Aben  Habuz,  "  thou  hast 
been  a  great  traveller,  and  seen  marvellous  things ;  but  of  what 
avail  to  me  is  the  secret  of  the  pyramid,  and  the  volume  of 
knowledge  of  the  wise  Solomon  ? ' ' 

"  This  it  is,  O  king !  By  the  study  of  that  book  I  am  in 
structed  in  all  magic  arts,  and  can  command  the  assistance 
of  genii  to  accomplish  my  plans.  The  mystery  of  the  Talis 
man  of  Borsa  is  therefore  familiar  to  me,  and  such  a  talisman 
can  I  make,  nay,  one  of  greater  virtues." 

"  O  wise  son  of  Abu  Ayub,"  cried  Aben  Habuz,  "better 
were  such  a  talisman  than  all  the  watch-towers  on  the  hills, 
and  sentinels  upon  the  borders.  Give  me  such  a  safeguard, 
and  the  riches  of  my  treasury  are  at  thy  command." 

The  astrologer  immediately  set  to  work  to  gratify  the  wishes 
of  the  monarch.  He  caused  a  great  tower  to  be  erected  upon 
the  top  of  the  royal  palace,  which  stood  on  the  brow  of  the 
hill  of  the  Albaicin.  The  tower  was  built  of  stones  brought 
from  Egypt,  and  taken,  it  is  said,  from  one  of  the  pyramids. 

[146] 


LEGEND    OF    THE   ARABIAN    ASTROLOGER 

In  the  upper  part  of  the  tower  was  a  circular  hall,  with  win 
dows  looking  towards  every  point  of  the  compass,  and  before 
each  window  was  a  table,  on  which  was  arranged,  as  on  a 
chess-board,  a  mimic  army  of  horse  and  foot,  with  the  effigy 
of  the  potentate  that  ruled  in  that  direction,  all  carved  of 
wood.  To  each  of  these  tables  there  was  a  small  lance,  on 
which  were  engraved  certain  characters.  This  hall  was  kept 
constantly  closed,  by  a  gate  of  brass,  with  a  great  lock  of 
steel,  the  key  of  which  was  in  possession  of  the  king. 

On  the  top  of  the  tower  was  a  bronze  figure  of  a  Moorish 
horseman,  fixed  on  a  pivot,  with  a  shield  on  one  arm,  and  his 
lance  elevated  perpendicularly.  The  face  of  this  horseman 
was  towards  the  city,  as  if  keeping  guard  over  it ;  but  if  any 
foe  were  at  hand,  the  figure  would  turn  in  that  direction,  and 
would  level  the  lance  as  if  for  action. 

When  this  talisman  was  finished,  Aben  Habuz  was  all 
impatient  to  try  its  virtues,  and  longed  as  ardently  for  an  in 
vasion  as  he  had  ever  sighed  after  repose.  His  desire  was 
soon  gratified.  Tidings  were  brought,  early  one  morning,  by 
the  sentinel  appointed  to  watch  the  tower,  that  the  face  of  the 
bronze  horseman  was  turned  towards  the  mountains  of  Elvira, 
and  that  his  lance  pointed  directly  against  the  Pass  of  Lope. 

"  Let  the  drums  and  trumpets  sound  to  arms,  and  all 
Granada  be  put  on  the  alert,"  said  Aben  Habuz. 

11  O  king,"  said  the  astrologer,  ''let  not  your  city  be  dis 
quieted,  nor  your  warriors  called  to  arms  ;  we  need  no  aid  of 
force  to  deliver  you  from  your  enemies.  Dismiss  your  attend 
ants,  and  let  us  proceed  alone  to  the  secret  hall  of  the  tower." 

The  ancient  Aben  Habuz  mounted  the  staircase  of  the 
tower,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  the  still  more  ancient  Ibrahim. 
They  unlocked  the  brazen  door  and  entered.  The  window 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

that  looked  towards  the  Pass  of  Lope  was  open.  "In  this 
direction,"  said  the  astrologer,  "  lies  the  danger ;  approach. 
O  king,  and  behold  the  mystery  of  the  table." 

King  Aben  Habuz  approached  the  seeming  chess-board, 
on  which  were  arranged  the  small  wooden  effigies,  when,  to 
his  surprise,  he  perceived  that  they  were  all  in  motion.  The 
horses  pranced  and  curveted,  the  warriors  brandished  their 
weapons,  and  there  was  a  faint  sound  of  drums  and  trumpets, 
and  the  clang  of  arms,  and  neighing  of  steeds ;  but  all  no 
louder,  nor  more  distinct,  than  the  hum  of  the  bee,  or  the 
summer-fly,  in  the  drowsy  ear  of  him  who  lies  at  noontide 
in  the  shade. 

"  Behold,  O  king,"  said  the  astrologer,  "  a  proof  that  thy 
enemies  are  even  now  in  the  field.  They  must  be  advancing 
through  yonder  mountains,  by  the  Pass  of  Lope.  Would  you 
produce  a  panic  and  confusion  amongst  them,  and  cause  them 
to  retreat  without  loss  of  life,  strike  these  effigies  with  the 
but-end  of  this  magic  lance ;  would  you  cause  bloody  feud 
and  carnage,  strike  with  the  point." 

A  livid  streak  passed  across  the  countenance  of  Aben 
Habuz ;  he  seized  the  lance  with  trembling  eagerness ;  his 
gray  beard  wagged  with  exultation  as  he  tottered  toward  the 
table  :  "  Son  of  Abu  Ayub,"  exclaimed  he,  in  chuckling  tone, 
"  I  think  we  will  have  a  little  blood !  " 

So  saying,  he  thrust  the  magic  lance  into  some  of  the  pigmy 
effigies,  and  belabored  others  with  the  but-end,  upon  which 
the  former  fell  as  dead  upon  the  board,  and  the  rest  turning 
upon  each  other,  began,  pell-mell,  a  chance-medley  fight. 

It  was  with  difficulty  the  astrologer  could  stay  the  hand 
of  the  most  pacific  of  monarchs,  and  prevent  him  from 
absolutely  exterminating  his  foes ;  at  length  he  prevailed 


A  COURT  OF  THE   GENERALIFE 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

upon  him  to  leave  the  tower,  and  to  send  out  scouts  to  the 
mountains  by  the  Pass  of  Lope. 

They  returned  with  the  intelligence  that  a  Christian  army 
had  advanced  through  the  heart  of  the  Sierra,  almost  within 
sight  of  Granada,  where  a  dissension  had  broken  out  among 
them  ;  they  had  turned  their  weapons  against  each  other,  and 
after  much  slaughter  had  retreated  over  the  border. 

Aben  Habuz  was  transported  with  joy  on  thus  proving  the 
efficacy  of  the  talisman.  "  At  length,"  said  he,  "I  shall  lead 
a  life  of  tranquillity,  and  have  all  my  enemies  in  my  power. 
O  wise  son  of  Abu  Ayub,  what  can  I  bestow  on  thee  in 
reward  for  such  a  blessing  ? ' ' 

"  The  wants  of  an  old  man  and  a  philosopher,  O  king,  are 
few  and  simple  ;  grant  me  but  the  means  of  fitting  up  my 
cave  as  a  suitable  hermitage,  and  I  am  content." 

"  How  noble  is  the  moderation  of  the  truly  wise !  "  ex 
claimed  Aben  Habuz,  secretly  pleased  at  the  cheapness  of 
the  recompense.  He  summoned  his  treasurer,  and  bade  him 
dispense  whatever  sums  might  be  required  by  Ibrahim  to 
complete  and  furnish  his  hermitage. 

The  astrologer  now  gave  orders  to  have  various  chambers 
hewn  out  of  the  solid  rock,  so  as  to  form  ranges  of  apart 
ments  connected  with  his  astrological  hall ;  these  he  caused 
to  be  furnished  with  luxurious  ottomans  and  divans,  and  the 
walls  to  be  hung  with  the  richest  silks  of  Damascus.  "  I  am 
an  old  man,"  said  he,  "  and  can  no  longer  rest  my  bones  on 
stone  couches,  and  these  damp  walls  require  covering." 

He  had  baths  too  constructed,  and  provided  with, all  kinds 
of  perfumes  and  aromatic  oils.  "  For  a  bath,"  said  he,  "  is 
necessary  to  counteract  the  rigidity  of  age,  and  to  restore 
freshness  and  suppleness  to  the  frame  withered  by  study." 

['50] 


LEGEND    OF   THE   ARABIAN    ASTROLOGER 

He  caused  the  apartments  to  be  hung  with  innumerable 
silver  and  crystal  lamps,  which  he  filled  with  a  fragrant  oil 
prepared  according  to  a  receipt  discovered  by  him  in  the 
tombs  of  Egypt.  This  oil  was  perpetual  in  its  nature,  and 
diffused  a  soft  radiance  like  the  tempered  light  of  day.  "  The 
light  of  the  sun,"  said  he,  "  is  too  gairish  and  violent  for  the 
eyes  of  an  old  man,  and  the  light  of  the  lamp  is  more  congenial 
to  the  studies  of  a  philosopher." 

The  treasurer  of  King  Aben  Habuz  groaned  at  the  sums 
daily  demanded  to  fit  up  this  hermitage,  and  he  carried  his 
complaints  to  the  king.  The  royal  word,  however,  had  been 
given;  Aben  Habuz  shrugged  his  shoulders:  "We  must 
have  patience,"  said  he ;  "  this  old  man  has  taken  his  idea 
of  a  philosophic  retreat  from  the  interior  of  the  pyramids, 
and  of  the  vast  ruins  of  Egypt ;  but  all  things  have  an  end, 
and  so  will  the  furnishing  of  his  cavern."  The  king  was  in 
the  right ;  the  hermitage  was  at  length  complete,  and  formed 
a  sumptuous  subterranean  palace. 

While  the  philosophic  Ibrahim  passed  his  time  in  his  her 
mitage,  the  pacific  Aben  Habuz  carried  on  furious  campaigns 
in  effigy  in  his  tower.  It  was  a  glorious  thing  for  an  old 
man,  like  himself,  of  quiet  habits,  to  have  war  made  easy, 
and  to  be  enabled  to  amuse  himself  in  his  chamber  by  brushing 
away  whole  armies  like  so  many  swarms  of  flies. 

For  a  time  he  rioted  in  the  indulgence  of  his  humors, 
and  even  taunted  and  insulted  his  neighbors,  to  induce  them 
to  make  incursions  ;  but  by  degrees  they  grew  wary  from 
repeated  disasters,  until  no  one  ventured  to  invade  his  ter 
ritories.  F*or  many  months  the  bronze  horseman  remained 
on  the  peace  establishment,  with  his  lance  elevated  in  the 
air ;  and  the  worthy  old  monarch  began  to  repine  at  the 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

want  of  his  accustomed  sport,  and  to  grow  peevish  at  his 
monotonous  tranquillity. 

At  length,  one  day,  the  talismanic  horseman  veered  sud 
denly  round,  and  lowering  his  lance,  made  a  dead  point  to 
wards  the  mountains  of  Guadix.  Aben  Habuz  hastened  to 
his  tower,  but  the  magic  table  in  that  direction  remained 
quiet :  not  a  single  warrior  was  in  motion.  Perplexed  at  the 
circumstance,  he  sent  forth  a  troop  of  horse  to  scour  the 
mountains  and  reconnoitre.  They  returned  after  three  days' 
absence. 

"  We  have  searched  every  mountain  pass,"  said  they,  "but 
not  a  helm  nor  spear  was  stirring.  All  that  we  have  found 
in  the  course  of  our  foray,  was  a  Christian  damsel  of  surpass 
ing  beauty,  sleeping  at  noontide  beside  a  fountain,  whom  we 
have  brought  away  captive." 

" A  damsel  of  surpassing  beauty!  "  exclaimed  Aben  Habuz, 
his  eyes  gleaming  with  animation  ;  "let  her  be  conducted 
into  my  presence." 

The  beautiful  damsel  was  accordingly  conducted  into  his 
presence.  She  was  arrayed  with  all  the  luxury  of  ornament 
that  had  prevailed  among  the  Gothic  Spaniards  at  the  time 
of  the  Arabian  conquest.  Pearls  of  dazzling  whiteness  were 
entwined  with  her  raven  tresses ;  and  jewels  sparkled  on  her 
forehead,  rivalling  the  lustre  of  her  eyes.  Around  her  neck 
was  a  golden  chain,  to  which  was  suspended  a  silver  lyre, 
which  hung  by  her  side. 

The  flashes  of  her  dark  eye  were  like  sparks  of  fire  on  the 
withered  yet  combustible  heart  of  Aben  Habuz.  "Fairest  of 
women,"  cried  he,  "  who  and  what  art  thou  ?  " 

11  The  daughter  of  one  of  the  Gothic  princes,  who  but 
lately  ruled  over  this  land.  The  armies  of  my  father  have 


LEGEND    OF   THE    ARABIAN    ASTROLOGER 

been  destroyed,  as  if  by  magic,  among  these  mountains  ;  he 
has  been  driven  into  exile,  and  his  daughter  is  a  captive." 

"Beware,  O  king!"  whispered  Ibrahim,  "this  maybe  one 
of  those  northern  sorceresses  of  whom  we  have  heard,  who 
assume  the  most  seductive  forms  to  beguile  the  unwary.  Me- 
thinks  I  read  witchcraft  in  her  eye,  and  sorcery  in  every 
movement.  Doubtless  this  is  the  enemy  pointed  out  by  the 
talisman." 

"  Son  of  Abu  Ayub,"  replied  the  king,  "  thou  art  a  wise 
man,  I  grant,  a  conjurer  for  aught  I  know  ;  but  thou  art  little 
versed  in  the  ways  of  woman.  As  to  this  damsel,  I  see  no 
harm  in  her ;  she  is  fair  to  look  upon,  and  finds  favor  in 
my  eyes." 

Further  remonstrances  of  the  astrologer  only  provoked  a 
more  peremptory  reply  from  the  monarch,  and  they  parted 
in  high  displeasure.  The  sage  shut  himself  up  in  his  her 
mitage  ;  ere  he  departed,  however,  he  gave  the  king  one 
more  warning  to  beware  of  his  dangerous  captive.  But  where 
is  the  old  man  in  love  that  will  listen  to  counsel  ?  His  only 
study  was  how  to  render  himself  amiable  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Gothic  beauty.  He  had  not  youth  to  recommend  him,  it  is 
true,  but  then  he  had  riches  ;  and  when  a  lover  is  old,  he  is 
generally  generous.  The  shops  of  Granada  were  ransacked 
for  the  most  precious  merchandise  of  the  East ;  silks,  jewels, 
precious  gems,  exquisite  perfumes,  all  that  Asia  and  Africa 
yielded  that  was  rich  and  rare,  were  lavished  upon  the  prin 
cess.  All  kinds  of  spectacles  and  festivities  were  devised  for 
her  entertainment ;  minstrelsy,  dancing,  tournaments,  bull 
fights  ;  —  Granada  for  a  time  was  a  scene  of  perpetual  pag 
eant.  The  Gothic  princess  regarded  all  this  splendor  with 
the  air  of  one  accustomed  to  magnificence.  She  received 

[-53] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

everything  as  a  homage  due  to  her  rank,  or  rather  to  her 
beauty ;  for  beauty  is  more  lofty  in  its  exactions  even  than 
rank.  Nay,  she  seemed  to  take  a  secret  pleasure  in  exciting 
the  monarch  to  expenses  that  made  his  treasury  shrink,  and 
then  treating  his  extravagant  generosity  as  a  mere  matter  of 
course.  With  all  his  assiduity  and  munificence,  also,  the 
venerable  lover  could  not  flatter  himself  that  he  had  made 
any  impression  on  her  heart.  She  never  frowned  on  him,  it 
is  true,  but  then  she  never  smiled.  Whenever  he  began  to 
plead  his  love,  she  struck  her  silver  lyre.  There  was  a  mystic 
charm  in  the  sound.  In  an  instant  the  monarch  began  to 
nod ;  a  drowsiness  stole  over  him,  and  he  gradually  sank  into 
a  sleep. 

At  length  a  danger  burst  on  the  head  of  Aben  Habuz, 
against  which  his  talisman  yielded  him  no  warning.  An  in 
surrection  broke  out  in  his  very  capital ;  his  palace  was  sur 
rounded  by  an  armed  rabble,  who  menaced  his  life  and  the 
life  of  the  Christian  damsel.  A  spark  of  his  ancient  warlike 
spirit  was  awakened  in  the  breast  of  the  monarch.  At  the 
head  of  a  handful  of  his  guards  he  sallied  forth,  put  the  rebels 
to  flight,  and  crushed  the  insurrection  in  the  bud. 

When  quiet  was  again  restored,  he  sought  the  astrologer, 
who  still  remained  shut  up  in  his  hermitage. 

Aben  Habuz  approached  him  with  a  conciliatory  tone. 
"  O  wise  son  of  Abu  Ayub,"  said  he,  "  well  didst  thou  pre 
dict  dangers  to  me  from  this  captive  beauty :  tell  me  then, 
thou  who  art  so  quick  at  foreseeing  peril,  what  I  should  do 
to  avert  it." 

"  Put  from  thee  the  infidel  damsel  who  is  the  cause." 
•   "  Sooner  would   I   part  with  my  kingdom,"   cried  Aben 
Habuz. 


LEGEND    OF   THE   ARABIAN   ASTROLOGER 

"  Thou  art  in  danger  of  losing  both,"  replied  the  astrologer. 

"Be  not  harsh  and  angry,  O  most  profound  of  philoso 
phers  ;  consider  the  double  distress  of  a  monarch  and  a  lover, 
and  devise  some  means  of  protecting  me  from  the  evils  by 
which  I  am  menaced.  I  care  not  for  grandeur,  I  care  not 
for  power,  I  languish  only  for  repose  ;  would  that  I  had  some 
quiet  retreat  where  I  might  take  refuge  from  the  world,  and  all 
its  cares,  and  pomps,  and  troubles,  and  devote  the  remainder 
of  my  days  to  tranquillity  and  love." 

The  astrologer  regarded  him  for  a  moment  from  under 
his  bushy  eyebrows. 

"  And  what  wouldst  thou  give,  if  I  could  provide  thee  such 
a  retreat  ?  " 

"  Thou  shouldst  name  thy  own  reward  ;  and  whatever  it 
might  be,  if  within  the  scope  of  my  power,  as  my  soul 
liveth,  it  should  be  thine." 

"  Thou  hast  heard,  O  king,  of  the  garden  of  Irem,  one  of 
the  prodigies  of  Arabia  the  happy." 

"  I  have  heard  of  that  garden ;  it  is  recorded  in  the 
Koran,  even  in  the  chapter  entitled  *  The  Dawn  of  Day.' 
I  have,  moreover,  heard  marvellous  things  related  of  it  by 
pilgrims  who  had  been  to  Mecca ;  but  I  considered  them 
wild  fables,  such  as  travellers  are  wont  to  tell  who  have 
visited  remote  countries." 

"  Discredit  not,  O  king,  the  tales  of  travellers,"  rejoined 
the  astrologer,  gravely,  "  for  they  contain  precious  rarities 
of  knowledge  brought  from  the  ends  of  the  earth.  As  to 
the  palace  and  garden  of  Irem,  what  is  generally  told  of 
them  is  true ;  I  have  seen  them  with  mine  own  eyes ;  — 
listen  to  my  adventure,  for  it  has  a  bearing  upon  the 
object  of  your  request. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"  In  my  younger  days,  when  a  mere  Arab  of  the  desert, 
I  tended  my  father's  camels.  In  traversing  the  desert  of 
Aden,  one  of  them  strayed  from  the  rest  and  was  lost. 
I  searched  after  it  for  several  days,  but  in  vain,  until, 
wearied  and  faint,  I  laid  myself  down  at  noontide,  and 
slept  under  a  palm-tree  by  the  side  of  a  scanty  well. 
When  I  awoke  I  found  myself  at  the  gate  of  a  city. 
I  entered,  and  beheld  noble  streets,  and  squares,  and  market 
places  ;  but  all  were  silent  and  without  an  inhabitant.  I 
wandered  on  until  I  came  to  a  sumptuous  palace,  with  a 
garden  adorned  with  fountains  and  fish-ponds,  and  groves 
and  flowers,  and  orchards  laden  with  delicious  fruit ;  but 
still  no  one  was  to  be  seen.  Upon  which,  appalled  at  this 
loneliness,  I  hastened  to  depart ;  and,  after  issuing  forth  at 
the  gate  of  the  city,  I  turned  to  look  upon  the  place,  but  it 
was  no  longer  to  be  seen  ;  nothing  but  the  silent  desert 
extended  before  my  eyes. 

11  In  the  neighborhood  I  met  with  an  aged  dervise, 
learned  in  the  traditions  and  secrets  of  the  land,  and  related 
to  him  what  had  befallen  me.  '  This,'  said  he,  *  is  the  far- 
famed  garden  of  Irem,  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  desert. 
It  only  appears  at  times  to  some  wanderer  like  thyself, 
gladdening  him  with  the  sight  of  towers  and  palaces  and 
garden-walls  overhung  with  richly-laden  fruit  trees,  and  then 
vanishes,  leaving  nothing  but  a  lonely  desert.  And  this 
is  the  story  of  it.  In  old  times,  when  this  country  was  in 
habited  by  the  Addites,  King  Sheddad,  the  son  of  Ad, 
the  great-grandson  of  Noah,  founded  here  a  splendid  city. 
When  it  was  finished,  and  he  saw  its  grandeur,  his  heart 
was  puffed  up  with  pride  and  arrogance,  and  he  determined 
to  build  a  royal  palace,  with  gardens  which  should  rival  all 


LEGEND    OF   THE   ARABIAN   ASTROLOGER 

related  in  the  Koran  of  the  celestial  paradise.  But  the  curse 
of  heaven  fell  upon  him  for  his  presumption.  He  and  his 
subjects  were  swept  from  the  earth,  and  his  splendid  city 
and  palace,  and  gardens,  were  laid  under  a  perpetual  spell, 
which  hides  them  from  human  sight,  excepting  that  they  are 
seen  at  intervals,  by  way  of  keeping  his  sin  in  perpetual 
remembrance.' 

11  This  story,  O  king,  and  the  wonders  I  had  seen,  ever 
dwelt  in  my  mind ;  and  in  after-years,  when  I  had  been  in 
Egypt,  and  was  possessed  of  the  book  of  knowledge  of 
Solomon  the  Wise,  I  determined  to  return  and  revisit  the 
garden  of  Irem.  I  did  so,  and  found  it  revealed  to  my 
instructed  sight.  I  took  possession  of  the  palace  of  Shed- 
dad,  and  passed  several  days  in  his  mock  paradise.  The 
genii  who  watch  over  the  place  were  obedient  to  my  magic 
power,  and  revealed  to  me  the  spells  by  which  the  whole 
garden  had  been,  as  it  were,  conjured  into  existence,  and 
by  which  it  was  rendered  invisible.  Such  a  palace  and 
garden,  O  king,  can  I  make  for  thee,  even  here,  on  the 
mountain  above  thy  city.  Do  I  not  know  all  the  secret 
spells  ?  And  am  I  not  in  possession  of  the  book  of  knowl 
edge  of  Solomon  the  Wise  ?  " 

"  O  wise  son  of  Abu  Ayub !  "  exclaimed  Aben  Habuz, 
trembling  with  eagerness,  "  thou  art  a  traveller  indeed, 
and  hast  seen  and  learned  marvellous  things !  Contrive 
me  such  a  paradise,  and  ask  any  reward,  even  to  the  half 
of  my  kingdom." 

"Alas!"  replied  the  other,  "thou  knowest  I  am  an  old 
man,  and  a  philosopher,  and  easily  satisfied  ;  all  the  reward 
I  ask  is  the  first  beast  of  burden,  with  its  load,  which  shall 
enter  the  magic  portal  of  the  palace." 

['57] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  monarch  gladly  agreed  to  so  moderate  a  stipulation,, 
and  the  astrologer  began  his  work.  On  the  summit  of  the 
hill,  immediately  above  his  subterranean  hermitage,  he 
caused  a  great  gateway  or  barbican  to  be  erected,  opening 
through  the  centre  of  a  strong  tower. 

There  was  an  outer  vestibule  or  porch,  with  a  lofty  arch, 
and  within  it  a  portal  secured  by  massive  gates.  On  the  key 
stone  of  the  portal  the  astrologer,  with  his  own  hand,  wrought 
the  figure  of  a  huge  key ;  and  on  the  keystone  of  the  outer 
arch  of  the  vestibule,  which  was  loftier  than  that  of  the  portal, 
he  carved  a  gigantic  hand.  These  were  potent  talismans,  over 
which  he  repeated  many  sentences  in  an  unknown  tongue. 

When  this  gateway  was  finished,  he  shut  himself  up  for 
two  days  in  his  astrological  hall,  engaged  in  secret  incan 
tations  ;  on  the  third  he  ascended  the  hill,  and  passed  the 
whole  day  on  its  summit.  At  a  late  hour  of  the  night  he 
came  down,  and  presented  himself  before  Aben  Habuz. 
"  At  length,  O  king,"  said  he,  "my  labor  is  accomplished. 
On  the  summit  of  the  hill  stands  one  of  the  most  delectable 
palaces  that  ever  the  head  of  man  devised,  or  the  heart  of 
man  desired.  It  contains  sumptuous  halls  and  galleries,, 
delicious  gardens,  cool  fountains,  and  fragrant  baths ;  in  a 
word,  the  whole  mountain  is  converted  into  a  paradise. 
Like  the  garden  of  Irem,  it  is  protected  by  a  mighty 
charm,  which  hides  it  from  the  view  and  search  of  mortals, 
excepting  such  as  possess  the  secret  of  its  talismans." 

"Enough!"  cried  Aben  Habuz,  joyfully,  "to-morrow 
morning  with  the  first  light  we  will  ascend  and  take  pos 
session."  The  happy  monarch  slept  but  little  that  night. 
Scarcely  had  the  rays  of  the  sun  begun  to  play  about  the 
snowy  summit  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  when  he  mounted  his 

[*S»] 


LEGEND    OF   THE   ARABIAN   ASTROLOGER 

steed,  and,  accompanied  only  by  a  few  chosen  attendants, 
ascended  a  steep  and  narrow  road  leading  up  the  hill. 
Beside  him,  on  a  white  palfrey,  rode  the  Gothic  princess, 
her  whole  dress  sparkling  with  jewels,  while  round  her 
neck  was  suspended  her  silver  lyre.  The  astrologer  walked 
on  the  other  side  of  the  king,  assisting  his  steps  with  his 
hieroglyphic  staff,  for  he  never  mounted  steed  of  any  kind. 

Aben  Habuz  looked  to  see  the  towers  of  the  palace 
brightening  above  him,  and  the  embowered  terraces  of  its 
gardens  stretching  along  the  heights  ;  but  as  yet  nothing  of 
the  kind  was  to  be  descried.  "  That  is  the  mystery  and  safe 
guard  of  the  place,"  said  the  astrologer,  "  nothing  can  be 
discerned  until  you  have  passed  the  spell-bound  gateway, 
and  been  put  in  possession  of  the  place." 

As  they  approached  the  gateway,  the  astrologer  paused, 
and  pointed  out  to  the  king  the  mystic  hand  and  key 
carved  upon  the  portal  of  the  arch.  "These,"  said  he, 
"  are  the  talismans  which  guard  the  entrance  to  this  para 
dise.  Until  yonder  hand  shall  reach  down  and  seize  that 
key,  neither  mortal  power  nor  magic  artifice  can  prevail 
against  the  lord  of  this  mountain." 

While  Aben  Habuz  was  gazing,  with  open  mouth  and 
silent  wonder,  at  these  mystic  talismans,  the  palfrey  of  the 
princess  proceeded,  and  bore  her  in  at  the  portal,  to  the 
very  centre  of  the  barbican. 

"  Behold,"  cried  the  astrologer,  "  my  promised  reward  ; 
the  first  animal  with  its  burden  which  should  enter  the 
magic  gateway." 

Aben  Habuz  smiled  at  what  he  considered  a  pleasantry 
of  the  ancient  man  ;  but  when  he  found  him  to  be  in 
earnest,  his  gray  beard  trembled  with  indignation. 


THE    AL HAM BRA 

"Son  of  Abu  Ayub,"  said  he,  sternly,  ''what  equivoca 
tion  is  this  ?  Thou  knowest  the  meaning  of  my  promise  : 
the  first  beast  of  burden  with  its  load,  that  should  enter 
this  portal.  Take  the  strongest  mule  in  my  stables,  load 
it  with  the  most  precious  things  of  my  treasury,  and  it  is 
thine  ;  but  dare  not  raise  thy  thoughts  to  her  who  is  the 
delight  of  my  heart." 

"  What  need  I  of  wealth  ?  "  cried  the  astrologer,  scornfully  ; 
11  have  I  not  the  book  of  knowledge  of  Solomon  the  Wise, 
and  through  it  the  command  of  the  secret  treasures  of  the 
earth  ?  The  princess  is  mine  by  right ;  thy  royal  word  is 
pledged ;  I  claim  her  as  my  own." 

The  princess  looked  down  haughtily  from  her  palfrey,  and 
a  light  smile  of  scorn  curled  her  rosy  lip  at  this  dispute  be 
tween  two  gray-beards  for  the  possession  of  youth  and  beauty. 
The  wrath  of  the  monarch  got  the  better  of  his  discretion. 
"  Base  son  of  the  desert,"  cried  he,  "  thou  mayst  be  master 
of  many  arts,  but  know  me  for  thy  master,  and  presume  not 
to  juggle  with  thy  king." 

"My  master!  my  king!"  echoed  the  astrologer,  —  "the 
monarch  of  a  mole-hill  to  claim  sway  over  him  who  possesses 
the  talismans  of  Solomon  !  Farewell,  Aben  Habuz,  reign  over 
thy  petty  kingdom,  and  revel  in  thy  paradise  of  fools  ;  for 
me,  I  will  laugh  at  thee  in  my  philosophic  retirement." 

So  saying,  he  seized  the  bridle  of  the  palfrey,  smote  the 
earth  with  his  staff,  and  sank  with  the  Gothic  princess 
through  the  centre  of  the  barbican.  The  earth  closed  over 
them,  and  no  trace  remained  of  the  opening  by  which  they 
had  descended. 

Aben  Habuz  was  struck  dumb  for  a  time  with  astonish 
ment.  Recovering  himself,  he  ordered  a  thousand  workmen 

[160] 


LEGEND    OF    THE    ARABIAN    ASTROLOGER 

to  dig,  with  pickaxe  and  spade,  into  the  ground  where  the 
astrologer  had  disappeared.  They  digged  and  digged,  but  in 
vain  ;  the  flinty  bosom  of  the  hill  resisted  their  implements  ; 
or  if  they  did  penetrate  a  little  way,  the  earth  filled  in  again 
as  fast  as  they  threw  it  out.  Aben  Habuz  sought  the  mouth 
of  the  cavern  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  leading  to  the  subter 
ranean  palace  of  the  astrologer ;  but  it  was  nowhere  to  be 
found.  Where  once  had  been  an  entrance,  was  a  solid  surface 
of  primeval  rock.  With  the  disappearance  of  Ibrahim  ceased 
the  benefit  of  his  talismans.  The  bronze  horseman  remained 
fixed,  with  his  face  turned  toward  the  hill,  and  his  spear 
pointed  to  the  spot  where  the  astrologer  had  descended,  as 
if  there  still  lurked  the  deadliest  foe  of  Aben  Habuz. 

From  time  to  time  the  sound  of  music,  and  the  tones  of  a 
female  voice,  could  be  faintly  heard  from  the  bosom  of  the 
hill ;  and  a  peasant  one  day  brought  word  to  the  king,  that 
in  the  preceding  night  he  had  found  a  fissure  in  the  rock, 
by  which  he  had  crept  in,  until  he  looked  down  into  a  sub 
terranean  hall,  in  which  sat  the  astrologer,  on  a  magnificent 
divan,  slumbering  and  nodding  to  the  silver  lyre  of  the  prin 
cess,  which  seemed  to  hold  a  magic  sway  over  his  senses. 

Aben  Habuz  sought  the  fissure  in  the  rock,  but  it  was 
again  closed.  He  renewed  the  attempt  to  unearth  his  rival, 
but  all  in  vain.  The  spell  of  the  hand  and  key  was  too  potent 
to  be  counteracted  by  human  power.  As  to  the  summit  of 
the  mountain,  the  site  of  the  promised  palace  and  garden,  it 
remained  a  naked  waste  ;  either  the  boasted  elysium  was 
hidden  from  sight  by  enchantment,  or  was  a  mere  fable  of 
the  astrologer.  The  world  charitably  supposed  the  latter,  and 
some  used  to  call  the  place  "  The  King's  Folly  "  ;  while 
others  named  it  "  The  Fool's  Paradise." 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

To  add  to  the  chagrin  of  Aben  Habuz,  the  neighbors  whom 
he  had  defied  and  taunted,  and  cut  up  at  his  leisure  while 
master  of  the  talismanic  horseman,  finding  him  no  longer 
protected  by  magic  spell,  made  inroads  into  his  territories 
from  all  sides,  and  the  remainder  of  the  life  of  the  most 
pacific  of  monarchs  was  a  series  of  turmoils. 

At  length  Aben  Habuz  died,  and  was  buried.  Ages  have 
since  rolled  away.  The  Alhambra  has  been  built  on  the  event 
ful  mountain,  and  in  some  measure  realizes  the  fabled  delights 
of  the  garden  of  Irem.  The  spell-bound  gateway  still  exists 
entire,  protected  no  doubt  by  the  mystic  hand  and  key,  and 
now  forms  the  Gate  of  Justice,  the  grand  entrance  to  the  for 
tress.  Under  that  gateway,  it  is  said,  the  old  astrologer  remains 
in  his  subterranean  hall,  nodding  on  his  divan,  lulled  by  the 
silver  lyre  of  the  princess. 

The  old  invalid  sentinels  who  mount  guard  at  the  gate 
hear  the  strains  occasionally  in  the  summer  nights  ;  and, 
yielding  to  their  soporific  power,  doze  quietly  at  their  posts. 
Nay,  so  drowsy  an  influence  pervades  the  place,  that  even 
those  who  watch  by  day  may  generally  be  seen  nodding  on 
the  stone  benches  of  the  barbican,  or  sleeping  under  the  neigh 
boring  trees  ;  so  that  in  fact  it  is  the  drowsiest  military  post 
in  all  Christendom.  All  this,  say  the  ancient  legends,  will 
endure  from  age  to  age.  The  princess  will  remain  captive 
to  the  astrologer,  and  the  astrologer  bound  up  in  magic  slum 
ber  by  the  princess,  until  the  last  day,  unless  the  mystic  hand 
shall  grasp  the  fated  key,  and  dispel  the  whole  charm  of  this 
enchanted  mountain. 


[162] 


VISITORS  TO  THE  ALHAMBRA 

1|  NOR  nearly  three  months  had  I  enjoyed  undisturbed  my 
H  dream  of  sovereignty  in  the  Alhambra,  —  a  longer  term 
J_L  of  quiet  than  had  been  the  lot  of  many  of  my  prede 
cessors.  During  this  lapse  of  time  the  progress  of  the  season 
had  wrought  the  usual  change.  On  my  arrival  I  had  found 
everything  in  the  freshness  of  May ;  the  foliage  of  the  trees 
was  still  tender  and  transparent ;  the  pomegranate  had  not 
yet  shed  its  brilliant  crimson  blossoms  ;  the  orchards  of  the 
Xenil  and  the  Darro  were  in  full  bloom  ;  the  rocks  were  hung 
with  wild  flowers,  and  Granada  seemed  completely  surrounded 
by  a  wilderness  of  roses  ;  among  which  innumerable  nightin 
gales  sang,  not  merely  in  the  night,  but  all  day  long. 

Now  the  advance  of  summer  had  withered  the  rose  and 
silenced  the  nightingale,  and  the  distant  country  began  to 
look  parched  and  sunburnt,  though  a  perennial  verdure 
reigned  immediately  round  the  city  and  in  the  deep  narrow- 
valleys  at  the  foot  of  the  snow-capped  mountains. 

[163] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  Alhambra  possesses  retreats  graduated  to  the  heat  of 
the  weather,  among  which  the  most  peculiar  is  the  almost 
subterranean  apartment  of  the  baths.  This  still  retains  its 
ancient  Oriental  character,  though  stamped  with  the  touching 
traces  of  decline.  At  the  entrance,  opening  into  a  small  court 
formerly  adorned  with  flowers,  is  a  hall,  moderate  in  size,  but 
light  and  graceful  in  architecture.  It  is  overlooked  by  a  small 
gallery  supported  by  marble  pillars  and  Morisco  arches.  An 
alabaster  fountain  in  the  centre  of  the  pavement  still  throws 
up  a  jet  of  water  to  cool  the  place.  On  each  side  are  deep 
alcoves  with  raised  platforms,  where  the  bathers,  after  their 
ablutions,  reclined  on  cushions,  soothed  to  voluptuous  repose 
by  the  fragrance  of  the  perfumed  air  and  the  notes  of  soft 
music  from  the  gallery.  Beyqnd  this  hall  are  the  interior 
chambers,  still  more  retired ;  the  sanctum  sanctorum  of  female 
privacy ;  for  here  the  beauties  of  the  Harem  indulged  in  the 
luxury  of  the  baths.  A  soft  mysterious  light  reigns  through 
the  place,  admitted  through  small  apertures  (himbreras)  in 
the  vaulted  ceiling.  The  traces  of  ancient  elegance  are  still 
to  be  seen,  and  the  alabaster  baths  in  which  the  sultans  once 
reclined.  The  prevailing  obscurity  and  silence  have  made 
these  vaults  a  favorite  resort  of  bats,  who  nestle  during  the 
day  in  the  dark  nooks  and  corners,  and  on  being  disturbed, 
flit  mysteriously  about  the  twilight  chambers,  heightening,  in 
an  indescribable  degree,  their  air  of  desertion  and  decay. 

In  this  cool  and  elegant,  though  dilapidated  retreat,  which  had 
the  freshness  and  seclusion  of  a  grotto,  I  passed  the  sultry  hours 
of  the  day  as  summer  advanced,  emerging  towards  sunset ;  and 
bathing,  or  rather  swimming,  at  night  in  the  great  reservoir  of 
the  main  court.  In  this  way  I  was  enabled  in  a  measure  to 
counteract  the  relaxing  and  enervating  influence  of  the  climate. 


• 


THE  SANCTUM   SANCTORUM 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

My  dream  of  absolute  sovereignty,  however,  came  at  length 
to  an  end.  I  was  roused  one  morning  by  the  report  of  fire 
arms,  which  reverberated  among  the  towers  as  if  the  castle 
had  been  taken  by  surprise.  On  sallying  forth,  I  found  an 
old  cavalier  with  a  number  of  domestics  in  possession  of  the 
Hall  of  the  Ambassadors.  He  was  an  ancient  count  who  had 
come  up  from  his  palace  in  Granada  to  pass  a  short  time  in 
the  Alhambra  for  the  benefit  of  purer  air ;  and  who,  being 
a  veteran  and  inveterate  sportsman,  was  endeavoring  to  get 
an  appetite  for  his  breakfast  by  shooting  at  swallows  from 
the  balconies.  It  was  a  harmless  amusement ;  for  though,  by 
the  alertness  of  his  attendants  in  loading  his  pieces,  he  was 
enabled  to  keep  up  a  brisk  fire,  I  could  not  accuse  him 
of  the  death  of  a  single  swallow.  Nay,  the  birds  themselves 
seemed  to  enjoy  the  sport,  and  to  deride  his  want  of  skill, 
skimming  in  circles  close  to  the  balconies,  and  twittering 
as  they  darted  by. 

The  arrival  of  this  old  gentleman  changed  essentially  the 
aspect  of  affairs,  but  caused  no  jealousy  nor  collision.  We 
tacitly  shared  the  empire  between  us,  like  the  last  kings  of 
Granada,  excepting  that  we  maintained  a  most  amicable  alli 
ance.  He  reigned  absolute  over  the  Court  of  the  Lions  and 
its  adjacent  halls,  while  I  maintained  peaceful  possession  of 
the  regions  of  the  bath  and  the  little  garden  of  Lindaraxa. 
We  took  our  meals  together  under  the  arcades  of  the  court, 
where  the  fountains  cooled  the  air,  and  bubbling  rills  ran 
along  the  channels  of  the  marble  pavement. 

In  the  evenings  a  domestic  circle  would  gather  about  the 
worthy  old  cavalier.  The  countess,  his  wife  by  a  second  mar 
riage,  would  come  up  from  the  city  accompanied  by  her  step 
daughter  Carmen,  an  only  child,  a  charming  little  being,  still 

['66] 


VISITORS    TO    THE    ALHAMBRA 

in  her  girlish  years.  Then  there  were  always  some  of  his 
official  dependants,  his  chaplain,  his  lawyer,  his  secretary, 
his  steward,  and  other  officers  and  agents  of  his  extensive 
possessions,  who  brought  him  up  the  news  or  gossip  of  the 
city,  and  formed  his  evening  party  of  tresillo  or  ombre.  Thus 
he  held  a  kind  of  domestic  court,  where  each  one  paid  him 
deference,  and  sought  to  contribute  to  his  amusement,  with 
out,  however,  any  appearance  of  servility,  or  any  sacrifice  of 
self-respect.  In  fact,  nothing  of  the  kind  was  exacted  by  the 
demeanor  of  the  count ;  for  whatever  may  be  said  of  Spanish 
pride,  it  rarely  chills  or  constrains  the  intercourse  of  social 
or  domestic  life.  Among  no  people  are  the  relations  between 
kindred  more  unreserved  and  cordial,  or  between  superior 
and  dependant  more  free  from  haughtiness  on  the  one  side, 
and  obsequiousness  on  the  other.  In  these  respects  there 
still  remains  in  Spanish  life,  especially  in  the  provinces,  much 
of  the  vaunted  simplicity  of  the  olden  time. 

The  most  interesting  member  of  this  family  group,  in  my 
eyes,  was  the  daughter  of  the  count,  the  lovely  little  Carmen. 
She  was  but  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  appeared  to  be 
considered  a  mere  child,  though  the  idol  of  the  family,  going 
generally  by  the  childlike  but  endearing  appellation  of  La 
Nina.  Her  form  had  not  yet  attained  full  maturity  and  de 
velopment,  but  possessed  already  the  exquisite  symmetry  and 
pliant  grace  so  prevalent  in  this  country.  Her  blue  eyes,  fair 
complexion,  and  light  hair  were  unusual  in  Andalusia,  and 
gave  a  mildness  and  gentleness  to  her  demeanor  in  contrast 
to  the  usual  fire  of  Spanish  beauty,  but  in  unison  with  the 
guileless  and  confiding  innocence  of  her  manners.  She  had 
at  the  same  time  the  innate  aptness  and  versatility  of  her 
fascinating  countrywomen.  Whatever  she  undertook  to  do 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

she  did  well  and  apparently  without  effort.  She  sang,  played 
the  guitar  and  other  instruments,  and  danced  the  picturesque 
dances  of  her  country  to  admiration,  but  never  seemed  to 
seek  admiration.  Everything  was  spontaneous,  prompted  by 
her  own  gay  spirits  and  happy  temper. 

The  presence  of  this  fascinating  little  being  spread  a  new 
charm  about  the  Alhambra,  and  seemed  to  be  in  unison  with 
the  place.  While  the  count  and  countess,  with  the  chaplain 
or  secretary,  were  playing  their  game  of  tresillo  under  the 
vestibule  of  the  Court  of  Lions,  she,  attended  by  Dolores, 
who  acted  as  her  maid  of  honor,  would  sit  by  one  of  the 
fountains,  and,  accompanying  herself  on  the  guitar,  would 
sing  some  of  those  popular  romances  which  abound  in  Spain, 
or,  what  was  still  more  to  my  taste,  some  traditional  ballad 
about  the  Moors. 

Never  shall  I  think  of  the  Alhambra  without  remembering 
this  lovely  little  being,  sporting  in  happy  and  innocent  girl 
hood  in  its  marble  halls,  dancing  to  the  sound  of  the  Moorish 
castanets,  or  mingling  the  silver  warbling  of  her  voice  with 
the  music  of  its  fountains. 


[,68] 


THE  GENERALISE 

TT    TTIGH    above  the  Alhambra,   on    the   breast   of   the 

n  mountain,  amidst  embowered  gardens  and  stately 
terraces,  rise  the  lofty  towers  and  white  walls  of 
the  Generalife ;  a  fairy  palace,  full  of  storied  recollections. 
Here  are  still  to  be  seen  the  famous  cypresses  of  enormous 
size  which  flourished  in  the  time  of  the  Moors,  and  which 
tradition  has  connected  with  the  fabulous  story  of  Boabdil 
and  his  sultana. 

Here  are  preserved  the  portraits  of  many  who  figured  in 
the  romantic  drama  of  the  Conquest.  Ferdinand  and  Isabella, 
Ponce  de  Leon,  the  gallant  Marquis  of  Cadiz,  and  Garcilaso 
de  la  Vega,  who  slew  in  desperate  fight  Tarfe  the  Moor,  a 
champion  of  Herculean  strength.  Here  too  hangs  a  portrait 
which  has  long  passed  for  that  of  the  unfortunate  Boabdil, 
but  which  is  said  to  be  that  of  Aben  Hud,  the  Moorish  king 

[169] 


THE    AL HAM BRA 

from  whom  descended  the  princes  of  Almeria.  From  one 
of  these  princes,  who  joined  the  standard  of  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella  towards  the  close  of  the  Conquest,  and  was  Christian 
ized  by  the  name  of  Don  Pedro  de  Granada  Venegas,  was 
descended  the  present  proprietor  of  the  palace,  the  Marquis 
of  Campotejar.  The  proprietor,  however,  dwells  in  a  foreign 
land,  and  the  palace  has  no  longer  a  princely  inhabitant. 

Yet  here  is  everything  to  delight  a  southern  voluptuary  : 
fruits,  flowers,  fragrance,  green  arbors  and  myrtle  hedges, 
delicate  air  and  gushing  waters.  Here  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  witnessing  those  scenes  which  painters  are  fond  of  depict 
ing  about  southern  palaces  and  gardens.  It  was  the  saint's 
day  of  the  count's  daughter,  and  she  had  brought  up  several 
of  her  youthful  companions  from  Granada,  to  sport  away  a 
long  summer's  day  among  the  breezy  halls  and  bowers  of  the 
Moorish  palaces.  A  visit  to  the  Generalife  was  the  morning's 
entertainment.  Here  some  of  the  gay  company  dispersed 
itself  in  groups  about  the  green  walks,  the  bright  fountains, 
the  flights  of  Italian  steps,  the  noble  terraces  and  marble 
balustrades.  Others,  among  whom  I  was  one,  took  their  seats 
in  an  open  gallery  or  colonnade  commanding  a  vast  prospect ; 
with  the  Alhambra,  the  city,  and  the  Vega,  far  below,  and 
the  distant  horizon  of  mountains  —  a  dreamy  world,  ail  glim 
mering  to  the  eye  in  summer  sunshine.  While  thus  seated, 
the  all-pervading  tinkling  of  the  guitar  and  click  of  the  cas 
tanets  came  stealing  up  from  the  valley  of  the  Darro,  and  half 
way  down  the  mountain  we  descried  a  festive  party  under  the 
trees,  enjoying  themselves  in  true  Andalusian  style ;  some 
lying  on  the  grass,  others  dancing  to  the  music. 

All  these  sights  and  sounds,  together  with  the  princely 
seclusion  of  the  place,  the  sweet  quiet  which  prevailed  around, 


Vli 


• 


\.^a 

•  .     •  ,$v  • 


m 

.  K 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

and  the  delicious  serenity  of  the  weather,  had  a  witching  effect 
upon  the  mind,  and  drew  from  some  of  the  company,  versed 
in  local  story,  several  of  the  popular  fancies  and  traditions 
connected  with  this  old  Moorish  palace ;  they  were  "  such 
stuff  as  dreams  are  made  of,"  but  out  of  them  I  have  shaped 
the  following  legend,  which  I  hope  may  have  the  good  fortune 
to  prove  acceptable  to  the  reader. 


[172] 


-       •  BI 

. 

'  rrf  t^WMt;  ^^iS^TW  " 


LEGEND  OF  PRINCE  AHMED  AL  KAMEL 
OR,  THE   PILGRIM  OF  LOVE 

THERE  was  once  a  Moorish  king  of  Granada,  who 
had  but  one  son,  whom  he  named  Ahmed,  to  which 
his  courtiers  added  the  surname  of  Al  Kamel,  or 
The  Perfect,  from  the  indubitable  signs  of  superexcellence 
which  they  perceived  in  him  in  his  very  infancy.  The  as 
trologers  countenanced  them  in  their  foresight,  predicting 
everything  in  his  favor  that  could  make  a  perfect  prince 
and  a  prosperous  sovereign.  One  cloud  only  rested  upon 
his  destiny,  and  even  that  was  of  a  roseate  hue  :  he  would 
be  of  an  amorous  temperament,  and  run  great  perils  from 
the  tender  passion.  If,  however,  he  could  be  kept  from 
the  allurements  of  love  until  of  mature  age,  these  dangers 
would  be  averted,  and  his  life  thereafter  be  one  uninterrupted 
course  of  felicity. 

To  prevent  all  danger  of  the  kind,  the  king  wisely  deter 
mined  to  rear  the  prince  in  a  seclusion  where  he  would  never 

[=73] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

see  a  female  face,  nor  hear  even  the  name  of  love.  For  this 
purpose  he  built  a  beautiful  palace  on  the  brow  of  the  hill 
above  the  Alhambra,  in  the  midst  of  delightful  gardens,  but 
surrounded  by  lofty  walls,  being,  in  fact,  the  same  palace 
known  at  the  present  day  by  the  name  of  the  Generalife. 
In  this  palace  the  youthful  prince  was  shut  up,  and  intrusted 
to  the  guardianship  and  instruction  of  Eben  Bonabben,  one 
of  the  wisest  and  dryest  of  Arabian  sages,  who  had  passed 
the  greatest  part  of  his  life  in  Egypt,  studying  hieroglyphics, 
and  making  researches  among  the  tombs  and  pyramids,  and 
who  saw  more  charms  in  an  Egyptian  mummy  than  in  the 
most  tempting  of  living  beauties.  The  sage  was  ordered  to 
instruct  the  prince  in  all  kinds  of  knowledge  but  one,  —  he 
was  to  be  kept  utterly  ignorant  of  love.  <f  Use  every  precau 
tion  for  the  purpose  you  may  think  proper,"  said  the  king, 
"  but  remember,  O  Eben  Bonabben,  if  my  son  learns  aught 
of  that  forbidden  knowledge  while  under  your  care,  your  head 
shall  answer  for  it."  A  withered  smile  came  over  the  dry 
visage  of  the  wise  Bonabben  at  the  menace.  "  Let  your  maj 
esty's  heart  be  as  easy  about  your  son,  as  mine  is  about  my 
head  :  am  I  a  man  likely  to  give  lessons  in  the  idle  passion? " 

Under  the  vigilant  care  of  the  philosopher,  the  prince  grew 
up  in  the  seclusion  of  the  palace  and  its  gardens.  He  had 
black  slaves  to  attend  upon  him  —  hideous  mutes  who  knew 
nothing  of  love,  or  if  they  did,  had  not  words  to  communicate 
it.  His  mental  endowments  were  the  peculiar  care  of  Eben 
Bonabben,  who  sought  to  initiate  him  into  the  abstruse  lore 
of  Egypt ;  but  in  this  the  prince  made  little  progress,  and  it 
was  soon  evident  that  he  had  no  turn  for  philosophy. 

He  was,  however,  amazingly  ductile  for  a  youthful  prince, 
ready  to  follow  any  advice,  and  always  guided  by  the  last 

[^74]. 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

counsellor.  He  suppressed  his  yawns,  and  listened  patiently 
to  the  long  and  learned  discourses  of  Eben  Bonabben,  from 
which  he  imbibed  a  smattering  of  various  kinds  of  knowl 
edge,  and  thus  happily  attained  his  twentieth  year,  a  miracle 
of  princely  wisdom  —  but  totally  ignorant  of  love. 

About  this  time,  however,  a  change  came  over  the  conduct 
of  the  prince.  He  completely  abandoned  his  studies,  and 
took  to  strolling  about  the  gardens,  and  musing  by  the  side 
of  the  fountains.  He  had  been  taught  a  little  music  among 
his  various  accomplishments  ;  it  now  engrossed  a  great  part 
of  his  time,  and  a  turn  for  poetry  became  apparent.  The  sage 
Eben  Bonabben  took  the  alarm,  and  endeavored  to  work  these 
idle  humors  out  of  him  by  a  severe  course  of  algebra ;  but 
the  prince  turned  from  it  with  distaste.  "  I  cannot  endure 
algebra,"  said  he;  " it  is  an  abomination  to  me.  I  want 
something  that  speaks  more  to  the  heart." 

The  sage  Eben  Bonabben  shook  his  dry  head  at  the  words. 
"  Here  is  an  end  to  philosophy,"  thought  he.  "The  prince 
has  discovered  he  has  a  heart !  "  He  now  kept  anxious  watch 
upon  his  pupil,  and  saw  that  the  latent  tenderness  of  his 
nature  was  in  activity,  and  only  wanted  an  object.  He  wan 
dered  about  the  gardens  of  the  Generalife  in  an  intoxication 
of  feelings  of  which  he  knew  not  the  cause.  Sometimes  he 
would  sit  plunged  in  a  delicious  reverie  ;  then  he  would  seize 
his  lute  and  draw  from  it  the  most  touching  notes,  and  then 
throw  it  aside,  and  break  forth  into  sighs  and  ejaculations. 

By  degrees  this  loving  disposition  began  to  extend  to  inani 
mate  objects  ;  he  had  his  favorite  flowers,  which  he  cherished 
with  tender  assiduity ;  then  he  became  attached  to  various  trees, 
and  there  was  one  in  particular,  of  a  graceful  form  and  droop 
ing  foliage,  on  which  he  lavished  his  amorous  devotion,  carving 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

his  name  on  its  bark,  hanging  garlands  on  its  branches,  and 
singing  couplets  in  its  praise,  to  the  accompaniment  of  his  lute. 

Eben  Bonabben  was  alarmed  at  this  excited  state  of  his 
pupil.  He  saw  him  on  the  very  brink  of  forbidden  knowl 
edge —  the  least  hint  might  reveal  to  him  the  fatal  secret. 
Trembling  for  the  safety  of  the  prince  and  the  security  of 
his  own  head,  he  hastened  to  draw  him  from  the  seductions 
of  the  garden,  and  shut  him  up  in  the  highest  tower  of 
the  Generalife.  It  contained  beautiful  apartments,  and  com 
manded  an  almost  boundless  prospect,  but  was  elevated  far 
above  that  atmosphere  of  sweets  and  those  witching  bovvers 
so  dangerous  to  the  feelings  of  the  too  susceptible  Ahmed. 

What  was  to  be  done,  however,  to  reconcile  him  to  this 
restraint  and  to  beguile  the  tedious  hours  ?  He  had  ex 
hausted  almost  all  kinds  of  agreeable  knowledge  ;  and  alge 
bra  was  not  to  be  mentioned.  Fortunately  Eben  Bonabben 
had  been  instructed,  when  in  Egypt,  in  the  language  of  birds 
.by  a  Jewish  Rabbin,  who  had  received  it  in  lineal  transmis 
sion  from  Solomon  the  Wise,  who  had  been  taught  it  by  the 
Queen  of  Sheba.  At  the  very  mention  of  such  a  study,  the 
eyes  of  .the  prince  sparkled  with  animation,  and  he  applied 
himself  to  it  with  such  avidity,  that  he  soon  became  as  great 
an  adept  as  his  master. 

The  tower  of  the  Generalife  was  no  longer  a  solitude  ;  he 
had  companions  at  hand  with  whom  he  could  converse.  The 
first  acquaintance  he  formed  was  with  a  hawk,  who  built  his 
nest  in  a  crevice  of  the  lofty  battlements,  whence  he  soared 
far  and  wide  in  quest  of  prey.  The  prince,  however,  found 
little  to  like  or  esteem  in  him.  He  was  a  mere  pirate  of  the 
air,  swaggering  and  boastful,  whose  talk  was  all  about  rapine 
and  carnage,  and  desperate  exploits. 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

His  next  acquaintance  was  an  owl,  a  mighty  wise-looking 
bird,  with  a  huge  head  and  staring  eyes,  who  sat  blinking 
and  goggling  all  day  in  a  hole  in  the  wall,  but  roamed  forth 
at  night.  He  had  great  pretensions  to  wisdom,  talked  some 
thing  of  astrology  and  the  moon,  and  hinted  at  the  dark 
sciences  ;  he  was  grievously  given  to  metaphysics,  and  the 
prince  found  his  prosings  even  more  ponderous  than  those 
of  the  sage  Eben  Bonabben. 

Then  there  was  a  bat,  that  hung  all  day  by  his  heels  in 
the  dark  corner  of  a  vault,  but  sallied  out  in  slipshod  style  at 
twilight.  He,  however,  had  but  twilight  ideas  on  all  subjects, 
derided  things  of  which  he  had  taken  but  an  imperfect  view, 
and  seemed  to  take  delight  in  nothing. 

Besides  these  there  was  a  swallow,  with  whom  the  prince 
was  at  first  much  taken.  He  was  a  smart  talker,  but  restless, 
bustling,  and  forever  on  the  wing ;  seldom  remaining  long 
enough  for  any  continued  conversation.  He  turned  out  in 
the  end  to  be  a  mere  smatterer,  who  did  but  skim  over  the 
surface  of  things,  pretending  to  know  everything,  but  knowing 
nothing  thoroughly. 

These  were  the  only  feathered  associates  with  whom  the 
prince  had  any  opportunity  of  exercising  his  newly  acquired 
language  ;  the  tower  was  too  high  for  any  other  birds  to 
frequent  it.  He  soon  grew  weary  of  his  new  acquaintances, 
whose  conversation  spoke  so  little  to  the  head  and  nothing 
to  the  heart,  and  gradually  relapsed  into  his  loneliness.  A 
winter  passed  away,  spring  opened  with  all  its  bloom  and 
verdure  and  breathing  sweetness,  and  the  happy  time  arrived 
for  birds  to  pair  and  build  their  nests.  Suddenly,  as  it  were, 
a  universal  burst  of  song  and  melody  broke  forth  from  the 
groves  and  gardens  of  the  Generalife,  and  reached  the  prince 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

in  the  solitude  of  his  tower.  From  every  side  he  heard  the 
same  universal  theme  —  love  —  love  —  love  —  chanted  forth, 
and  responded  to  in  every  variety  of  note  and  tone.  The 
prince  listened  in  silence  and  perplexity.  "  What  can  be  this 
love,"  thought  he,  "  of  which  the  world  seems  so  full,  and 
of  which  I  know  nothing  ?  "  He  applied  for  information  to 
his  friend  the  hawk.  The  ruffian  bird  answered  in  a  tone  of 
scorn  :  "  You  must  apply,"  said  he,  "  to  the  vulgar  peaceable 
birds  of  earth,  who  are  made  for  thejprey  of  us  princes  of 
the  air.  My  trade  is  war,  and  fighting  my  delight.  I  am  a 
warrior,  and  know  nothing  of  this  thing  called  love." 

The  prince  turned  from  him  with  disgust,  and  sought  the 
owl  in  his  retreat.  "This  is  a  bird,"  said  he,  "of  peaceful 
habits,  and  may  be  able  to  solve  my  question."  So  he  asked 
the  owl  to  tell  him  what  was  this  love  about  which  all  the 
birds  in  the  groves  below  were  singing. 

Upon  this  the  owl  put  on  a  look  of  offended  dignity.  "  My 
nights,"  said  he,  "are  taken  up  in  study  and  research,  and 
my  days  in  ruminating  in  my  cell  upon  all  that  I  have  learnt. 
As  to  these  singing  birds  of  whom  you  talk,  I  never  listen 
to  them  —  I  despise  them  and  their  themes.  Allah  be  praised, 
I  cannot  sing  ;  I  am  a  philosopher,  and  know  nothing  of  this 
thing  called  love." 

The  prince  now  repaired  to  the  vault,  where  his  friend  the 
bat  was  hanging  by  the  heels,  and  propounded  the  same 
question.  The  bat  wrinkled  up  his  nose  into  a  most  snap 
pish  expression.  "  Why  do  you  disturb  me  in  my  morning's 
nap  with  such  an  idle  question  ?  "  said  he,  peevishly.  "  I  only 
fly  by  twilight,  when  all  birds  are  asleep,  and  never  trouble 
myself  with  their  concerns.  I  am  neither  bird  nor  beast,  and 
I  thank  heaven  for  it.  I  have  found  out  the  villany  of  the 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

• 

whole  of  them,  and  hate  them  one  and  all.    In  a  word,  I  am 
a  misanthrope  —  and  know  nothing  of  this  thing  called  love." 

As  a  last  resort,  the  prince  now  sought  the  swallow,  and 
stopped  him  just  as  he  was  circling  about  the  summit  of  the 
tower.  The  swallow,  as  usual,  was  in  a  prodigious  hurry,  and 
had  scarce  time  to  make  a  reply.  "  Upon  my  word,"  said  he, 
"  I  have  so  much  public  business  to  attend  to,  and  so  many 
pursuits  to  follow,  that  I  have  had  no  time  to  think  on  the 
subject.  I  have  every  day  a  thousand  visits  to  pay ;  a  thou 
sand  affairs  of  importance  to  examine  into,  that  leave  me  not 
a  moment  of  leisure  for  these  little  sing-song  matters.  In  a 
word,  I  am  a  citizen  of  the  world  —  I  know  nothing  of  this 
thing  called  love."  So  saying,  the  swallow  dived  into  the 
valley,  and  was  out  of  sight  in  a  moment. 

The  prince  remained  disappointed  and  perplexed,  but  with 
his  curiosity  still  more  piqued  by  the  difficulty  of  gratifying 
it.  While  in  this  mood,  his  ancient  guardian  entered  the 
tower.  The  prince  advanced  eagerly  to  meet  him.  "  O  Eben 
Bonabben,"  cried  he,  "  thou  hast  revealed  to  me  much  of 
the  wisdom  of  the  earth  ;  but  there  is  one  thing  of  which  I 
remain  in  utter  ignorance,  and  would  fain  be  informed." 

"  My  prince  has  but  to  make  the  inquiry,  and  everything 
within  the  limited  range  of  his  servant's  intellect  is  at  his 
command." 

"  Tell  me,  then,  O  most  profound  of  sages,  what  is  the 
nature  of  this  thing  called  love  ?  " 

Eben  Bonabben  was  struck  as  with  a  thunderbolt.  He 
trembled  and  turned  pale,  and  felt  as  if  his  head  sat  but 
loosely  on  his  shoulders. 

What  could  suggest  such  a  question  to  my  prince,  — 
where  could  he  have  learnt  so  idle  a  word  ?  " 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

• 

The  prince  led  him  to  the  window  of  the  tower.  "  Listen, 
Eben  Bonabben,"  said  he.  The  sage  listened.  The  nightin 
gale  sat  in  a  thicket  below  the  tower,  singing  to  his  paramour, 
the  rose ;  from  every  blossomed  spray  and  tufted  grove  rose 
a  strain  of  melody  ;  and  love  —  love  —  love  —  was  still  the 
unvarying  strain. 

"  Allah  Akbar  !  God  is  great!"  exclaimed  the  wise  Bonab 
ben.  "  Who  shall  pretend  to  keep  this  secret  from  the  heart 
of  man,  when  even  the  birds  of  the  air  conspire  to  betray  it  ?  " 

Then  turning  to  Ahmed  —  "O  my  prince,"  cried  he,  ''shut 
thine  ears  to  these  seductive  strains.  Close  thy  mind  against 
this  dangerous  knowledge.  Know  that  this  love  is  the  cause 
of  half  the  ills  of  wretched  mortality.  It  is  this  which  produces 
bitterness  and  strife  between  brethren  and  friends ;  which 
causes  treacherous  murder  and  desolating  war.  Care  and 
sorrow,  weary  days  and  sleepless  nights,  are  its  attendants.  It 
withers  the  bloom  and  blights  the  joy  of  youth,  and  brings  on 
the  ills  and  griefs  of  premature  old  age.  Allah  preserve  thee, 
my  prince,  in  total  ignorance  of  this  thing  called  love ! " 

The  sage  Eben  Bonabben  hastily  retired,  leaving  the 
prince  plunged  in  still  deeper  perplexity.  It  was  in  vain  he 
attempted  to  dismiss  the  subject  from  his  mind  ;  it  still  con 
tinued  uppermost  in  his  thoughts,  and  teased  and  exhausted 
him  with  vain  conjectures.  Surely,  said  he  to  himself,  as  he 
listened  to  the  tuneful  strains  of  the  birds,  there  is  no  sorrow 
in  those  notes  ;  everything  seems  tenderness  and  joy.  If  love 
be  a  cause  of  such  wretchedness  and  strife,  why  are  not  these 
birds  drooping  in  solitude,  or  tearing  each  other  in  pieces, 
instead  of  fluttering  cheerfully  about  the  groves,  or  sporting 
with  each  other  among  the  flowers  ? 

He  lay  one  morning  on  his  couch,  meditating  on  this 
[180] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

inexplicable  matter.  The  window  of  his  chamber  was  open 
to  admit  the  soft  morning  breeze,  which  came  laden  with  the 
perfume  of  orange-blossoms  from  the  valley  of  the  Darro. 
The  voice  of  the  nightingale  was  faintly  heard,  still  chanting 
the  wonted  theme.  As  the  prince  was  listening  and  sighing, 
there  was  a  sudden  rushing  noise  in  the  air  ;  a  beautiful  dove, 
pursued  by  a  -hawk,  darted  in  at  the  window,  and  fell  panting 
on  the  floor,  while  the  pursuer,  balked  of  his  prey,  soared  off 
to  the  mountains. 

The  prince  took  up  the  gasping  bird,  smoothed  its  feathers, 
and  nestled  it  in  his  bosom.  When  he  had  soothed  it  by  his 
caresses,  he  put  it  in  a  golden  cage,  and  offered  it,  with  his 
own  hands,  the  whitest  and  finest  of  wheat  and  the  purest 
of  water.  The  bird,  however,  refused  food,  and  sat  drooping 
and  pining,  and  uttering  piteous  moans. 

"  What  aileth  thee  ?  "  said  Ahmed.  "  Hast  thou  not  every 
thing  thy  heart  can  wish  ?  " 

"  Alas,  no  !  "  replied  the  dove  ;  "  am  I  not  separated  from 
the  partner  of  my  heart,  and  that  too  in  the  happy  spring-time, 
the  very  season  of  love  !  " 

"Of  love!"  echoed  Ahmed.  "Ipray  thee,  my  pretty 
bird,  canst  thou  then  tell  me  what  is  love  ?  " 

"  Too  well  can  I,  my  prince.  It  is  the  torment  of  one, 
the  felicity  of  two,  the  strife  and  enmity  of  three.  It  is  a 
charm  which  draws  two  beings  together,  and  unites  them  by 
delicious  sympathies,  making  it  happiness  to  be  with  each 
other,  but  misery  to  be  apart.  Is  there  no  being  to  whom 
you  are  drawn  by  these  ties  of  tender  affection  ?  " 

"  I  like  my  old  teacher  Eben  Bonabben  better  than  any 
other  being ;  but  he  is  often  tedious,  and  I  occasionally  feel 
myself  happier  without  his  society." 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"  That  is  not  the  sympathy  I  mean.  I  speak  of  love,  the 
great  mystery  and  principle  of  life  :  the  intoxicating  revel 
of  youth  ;  the  sober  delight  of  age.  Look  forth,  my  prince, 
and  behold  how  at  this  blest  season  all  nature  is  full  of  love. 
Every  created  being  has  its  mate  ;  the  most  insignificant  bird 
sings  to  its  paramour ;  the  very  beetle  wooes  its  lady-beetle 
in  the  dust,  and  yon  butterflies  which  you  see  fluttering  high 
above  the  tower  and  toying  in  the  air,  are  happy  in  each  other's 
loves.  Alas,  my  prince  !  hast  thou  spent  so  many  of  the 
precious  days  of  youth  without  knowing  anything  of  love  ? 
Is  there  no  gentle  being  of  another  sex  —  no  beautiful  prin^ 
cess  nor  lovely  damsel  who  has  ensnared  your  heart,  and 
filled  your  bosom  with  a  soft  tumult  of  pleasing  pains  and 
tender  wishes  ?  " 

"  I  begin  to  understand,"  said  the  prince,  sighing  ;  "  such 
a  tumult  I  have  more  than  once  experienced,  without  know 
ing  the  cause ;  and  where  should  I  seek  for  an  object  such 
as  you  describe  in  this  dismal  solitude  ?  " 

A  little  further  conversation  ensued,  and  the  first  amatory 
lesson  of  the  prince  was  complete. 

"  Alas  !  "  said  he,  "  if  love  be  indeed  such  a  delight,  and 
its  interruption  such  a  misery,  Allah  forbid  that  I  should  mar 
the  joy  of  any  of  its  votaries."  He  opened  the  cage,  took  out 
the  dove,  and  having  fondly  kissed  it,  carried  it  to  the  window. 
"  Go,  happy  bird,"  said  he,  "  rejoice  with  the  partner  of  thy 
heart  in  the  days  of  youth  and  spring-time.  Why  should  I 
make  thee  a  fellow-prisoner  in  this  dreary  tower,  where  love 
can  never  enter  ?  " 

The  dove  flapped  its  wings  in  rapture,  gave  one  vault  into 
the  air,  and  then  swooped  downward  on  whistling  wings  to 
the  blooming  bowers  of  the  Darro. 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

The  prince  followed  him  with  his  eyes,  and  then  gave 
way  to  bitter  repining.  The  singing  of  the  birds,  which 
once  delighted  him,  now  added  to  his  bitterness.  Love ! 
love!  love!  Alas,  poor  youth!  he  now  understood  the  strain. 

His  eyes  flashed  fire  when  next  he  beheld  the  sage 
Bonabben.  "  Why  hast  thou  kept  me  in  this  abject  igno 
rance  ?  "  cried  he.  "  Why  has  the  great  mystery  and  prin 
ciple  of  life  been  withheld  from  me,  in  which  I  find  the 
meanest  insect  is  so  learned  ?  Behold  all  nature  is  in  a 
revel  of  delight.  Every  created  being  rejoices  with  its  mate. 
This — this  is  the  love  about  which  I  have  sought  instruc 
tion.  Why  am  I  alone  debarred  its  enjoyment  ?  Why  has 
so  much  of  my  youth  been  wasted  without  a  knowledge  of 
its  raptures  ?  " 

The  sage  Bonabben  saw  that  all  further  reserve  was  useless ; 
for  the  prince  had  acquired  the  dangerous  and  forbidden 
knowledge.  He  revealed  to  him,  therefore,  the  predictions 
of  the  astrologers  and  the  precautions  that  had  been  taken 
in  his  education  to  avert  the  threatened  evils.  "And  now, 
my  prince,"  added  he,  "  my  life  is  in  your  hands.  Let  the 
king,  your  father,  discover  that  you  have  learned  the  passion 
of  love  while  under  my  guardianship,  and  my  head  must 
answer  for  it." 

The  prince  was  as  reasonable  as  most  young  men  of  his 
age,  and  easily  listened  to  the  remonstrances  of  his  tutor, 
since  nothing  pleaded  against  them.  Besides,  he  really  was 
attached  to  Eben  Bonabben,  and  being  as  yet  but  theoretically 
acquainted  with  the  passion  of  love,  he  consented  to  confine 
the  knowledge  of  it  to  his  own  bosom,  rather  than  endanger 
the  head  of  the  philosopher. 

His  discretion  was  doomed,  however,  to  be  put  to  still 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

further  proofs.  A  few  mornings  afterward,  as  he  was  rumi 
nating  on  the  battlements  of  the  tower,  the  dove  which  had 
been  released  by  him  came  hovering  in  the  air,  and  alighted 
fearlessly  upon  his  shoulder. 

The  prince  fondled  it  to  his  heart.  "  Happy  bird,"  said 
he,  "  who  can  fly,  as  it  were,  with  the  wings  of  the  morning 
to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth.  Where  hast  thou  been 
since  we  parted  ?  " 

"  In  a  far  country,  my  prince,  whence  I  bring  you  tidings 
in  reward  for  my  liberty.  In  the  wild  compass  of  my  flight, 
which  extends  over  plain  and  mountain,  as  I  was  soaring  in 
the  air,  I  beheld  below  me  a  delightful  garden  with  all  kinds 
of  fruits  and  flowers.  It  was  in  a  green  meadow,  on  the 
banks  of  a  wandering  stream,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  garden 
was  a  stately  palace.  I  alighted  in  one  of  the  bowers  to  repose 
after  my  weary  flight.  On  the  green  bank  below  me  was  a 
youthful  princess,  in  the  very  sweetness  and  bloom  of  her 
years.  She  was  surrounded  by  female  attendants,  young  like 
herself,  who  decked  her  with  garlands  and  coronets  of  flowers ; 
but  no  flower  of  field  or  garden  could  compare  with  her  for 
loveliness.  Here,  however,  she  bloomed  in  secret,  for  the 
garden  was  surrounded  by  high  walls,  and  no  mortal  man 
was  permitted  to  enter.  When  I  beheld  this  beauteous  maid, 
thus  young  and  innocent  and  unspotted  by  the  world,  I 
thought,  here  is  the  being  formed  by  heaven  to  inspire  my 
prince  with  love." 

The  description  was  a  spark  of  fire  to  the  combustible 
heart  of  Ahmed ;  all  the  latent  amorousness  of  his  tempera 
ment  had  at  once  found  an  object,  and  he  conceived  an 
immeasurable  passion  for  the  princess.  He  wrote  a  letter, 
couched  in  the  most  impassioned  language,  breathing  his 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

fervent  devotion,  but  bewailing  the  unhappy  thraldom  of  his 
person,  which  prevented  him  from  seeking  her  out  and 
throwing  himself  at  her  feet.  He  added  couplets  of  the 
most  tender  and  moving  eloquence,  for  he  was  a  poet  by 
nature,  and  inspired  by  love.  He  addressed  his  letter—  "To 
the  Unknown  Beauty,  from  the  captive  Prince  Ahmed "  ; 
then  perfuming  it  with  musk  and  roses,  he  gave  it  to 
the  dove. 

"Away,  trustiest  of  messengers!"  said  he.  "Fly  over 
mountain,  and  valley,  and  river,  and  plain ;  rest  not  in  bower, 
nor  set  foot  on  earth,  until  thou  hast  given  this  letter  to  the 
mistress  of  my  heart." 

The  dove  soared  high  in  air,  and  taking  his  course  darted 
away  in  one  undeviating  direction.  The  prince  followed  him 
with  his  eye  until  he  was  a  mere  speck  on  a  cloud,  and 
gradually  disappeared  behind  a  mountain. 

Day  after  day  he  watched  for  the  return  of  the  messenger 
of  love,  but  he  watched  in  vain.  He  began  to  accuse  him 
of  forgetfulness,  when  towards  sunset  one  evening  the  faith 
ful  bird  fluttered  into  his  apartment,  and  falling  at  his  feet 
expired.  The  arrow  of  some  wanton  archer  had  pierced  his 
breast,  yet  he  had  struggled  with  the  lingerings  of  life  to 
execute  his  mission.  As  the  prince  bent  with  grief  over  this 
gentle  martyr  to  fidelity,  he  beheld  a  chain  of  pearls  round 
his  neck,  attached  to  which,  beneath  his  wing,  was  a  small 
enamelled  picture.  It  represented  a  lovely  princess  in  the 
very  flower  of  her  years.  It  was  doubtless  the  unknown 
beauty  of  the  garden  ;  but  who  and  where  was  she  ?  —  how 
had  she  received  his  letter  ?  and  was  this  picture  sent  as  a 
token  of  her  approval  of  his  passion  ?  Unfortunately  the  death 
of  the  faithful  dove  left  everything  in  mystery  and  doubt. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  prince  gazed  on  the  picture  till  his  eyes  swam  with 
tears.  He  pressed  it  to  his  lips  and  to  his  heart ;  he  sat  for 
hours  contemplating  it  almost  in  an  agony  of  tenderness. 
"  Beautiful  image  !  "  said  he,  "  alas,  thou  art  but  an  image  ! 
Yet  thy  dewy  eyes  beam  tenderly  upon  me ;  those  rosy  lips 
look  as  though  they  would  speak  encouragement :  vain 
fancies !  Have  they  not  looked  the  same  on  some  more 
happy  rival  ?  But  where  in  this  wide  world  shall  I  hope  to 
find  the  original  ?  Who  knows  what  mountains,  what  realms 
may  separate  us ;  what  adverse  chances  may  intervene  ? 
Perhaps  now,  even  now,  lovers  may  be  crowding  around  her, 
while  I  sit  here  a  prisoner  in  a  tower,  wasting  my  time  in 
adoration  of  a  painted  shadow." 

The  resolution  of  Prince  Ahmed  was  taken.  "  I  will  fly 
from  this  palace,"  said  he,  "  which  has  become  an  odious 
prison  ;  and,  a  pilgrim  of  love,  will  seek  this  unknown  prin 
cess  throughout  the  world."  To  escape  from  the  tower  in 
the  day,  when  every  one  was  awake,  might  be  a  difficult 
matter  ;  but  at  night  the  palace  was  slightly  guarded  ;  for  no 
one  apprehended  any  attempt  of  the  kind  from  the  prince, 
who  had  always  been  so  passive  in  his  captivity.  How  was 
he  to  guide  himself,  however,  in  his  darkling  flight,  being 
ignorant  of  the  country  ?  He  bethought  him  of  the  owl,  who 
was  accustomed  to  roam  at  night,  and  must  know  every  by- 
lane  and  secret  pass.  Seeking  him  in  his  hermitage,  he 
questioned  him  touching  his  knowledge  of  the  land.  Upon 
this  the  owl  put  on  a  mighty  self-important  look.  "You  must 
know,  O  prince,"  said  he,  "  that  we  owls  are  of  a  very  ancient 
and  extensive  family,  though  rather  fallen  to  decay,  and  pos 
sess  ruinous  castles  and  palaces  in  all  parts  of  Spain.  There 
is  scarcely  a  tower  of  the  mountains,  or  a  fortress  of  the  plains, 


f":''i;  :;  -    - 

v 


«*££  . 

- 

S51 


THE   GENERALIFE,   THE   ALHAMBRA,   AND    GRANADA   FROM 
"SILLA  DEL   MORO"  (SEAT  OF  THE    MOOR) 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

or  an  old  citadel  of  a  city,  but  has  some  brother,  or  uncle,  or 
cousin  quartered  in  it ;  and  in  going  the  rounds  to  visit  this 
my  numerous  kindred,  I  have  pried  into  every  nook  and  cor 
ner,  and  made  myself  acquainted  with  every  secret  of  the  land." 

The  prince  was  overjoyed  to  find  the  owl  so  deeply  versed 
in  topography,  and  now  informed  him,  in  confidence,  of  his 
tender  passion  and  his  intended  elopement,  urging  him  to 
be  his  companion  and  counsellor. 

"  Go  to  !  "  said  the  owl,  with  a  look  of  displeasure  ;  "am 
I  a  bird  to  engage  in  a  love-affair  ?  —  I,  whose  whole  time 
is  devoted  to  meditation  and  the  moon  ?  " 

"  Be  not  offended,  most  solemn  owl,"  replied  the  prince ; 
"abstract  thyself  for  a  time  from  meditation  and  the  moon, 
and  aid  me  in  my  flight,  and  thou  shalt  have  whatever  heart 
can  wish." 

"I  have  that  already,"  said  the  owl;  "a  few  mice  are 
sufficient  for  my  frugal  table,  and  this  hole  in  the  wall  is 
spacious  enough  for  my  studies ;  and  what  more  does  a 
philosopher  like  myself  desire  ?  " 

"Bethink  thee,  most  wise  owl,  that  while  moping  in  thy 
cell  and  gazing  at  the  moon,  all  thy  talents  are  lost  to  the 
world.  I  shall  one  day  be  a  sovereign  prince,  and  may  advance 
thee  to  some  post  of  honor  and  dignity." 

The  owl,  though  a  philosopher  and  above  the  ordinary 
wants  of  life,  was  not  above  ambition,  so  he  was  finally  pre 
vailed  on  to  elope  with  the  prince,  and  be  his  guide  and 
mentor  in  his  pilgrimage. 

The  plans  of  a  lover  are  promptly  executed.  The  prince 
collected  all  his  jewels,  and  concealed  them  about  his  person 
as  travelling  funds.  That  very  night  he  lowered  himself  by 
his  scarf  from  a  balcony  of  the  tower,  clambered  over  the 

[188] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

outer  walls  of  the  Generalife,  and,  guided  by  the  owl,  made 
good  his  escape  before  morning  to  the  mountains. 

He  now  held  a  council  with  his  mentor  as  to  his  future 
course. 

"  Might  I  advise,"  said  the  owl,  "  I  would  recommend  you 
to  repair  to  Seville.  You  must  know  that  many  years  since 
I  was  on  a  visit  to  an  uncle,  an  owl  of  great  dignity  and  power, 
who  lived  in  a  ruined  wing  of  the  Alcazar  of  that  place.  In 
my  hoverings  at  night  over  the  city  I  frequently  remarked  a 
light  burning  in  a  lonely  tower.  At  length  I  alighted  on  the 
battlements,  and  found  it  to  proceed  from  the  lamp  of  an 
Arabian  magician  :  he  was  surrounded  by  his  magic  books, 
and  on  his  shoulder  was  perched  his  familiar,  an  ancient 
raven  who  had  come  with  him  from  Egypt.  I  am  acquainted 
with  that  raven,  and  owe  to  him  a  great  part  of  the  knowl 
edge  I  possess.  The  magician  is  since  dead,  but  the  raven 
still  inhabits  the  tower,  for  these  birds  are  of  wonderful  long 
life.  I  would  advise  you,  O  prince,  to  seek  that  raven,  for 
he  is  a  soothsayer  and  a  conjurer,  and  deals  in  the  black  art, 
for  which  all  ravens,  and  especially  those  of  Egpyt,  are 
renowned." 

The  prince  was  struck  with  the  wisdom  of  this  advice, 
and  accordingly  bent  his  course  towards  Seville.  He  travelled 
only  in  the  night  to  accommodate  his  companion,  and  lay  by 
during  the  day  in  some  dark  cavern  or  mouldering  watch- 
tower,  for  the  owl  knew  every  hiding-hole  of  the  kind,  and 
had  a  most  antiquarian  taste  for  ruins. 

At  length  one  morning  at  breakfast  they  reached  the  city 
of  Seville,  where  the  owl,  who  hated  the  glare  and  bustle  of 
crowded  streets,  halted  without  the  gate,  and  took  up  his 
quarters  in  a  hollow  tree. 

[189] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  prince  entered  the  gate,  and  readily  found  the  magic 
tower,  which  rose  above  the  houses  of  the  city,  as  a  palm-tree 
rises  above  the  shrubs  of  the  desert ;  it  was  in  fact  the  same 
tower  standing  at  the  present  day,  and  known  as  the  Giralda, 
the  famous  Moorish  tower  of  Seville. 

The  prince  ascended  by  a  great  winding  staircase  to  the 
summit  of  the  tower,  where  he  found  the  cabalistic  raven  — 
an  old,  mysterious,  gray-headed  bird,  ragged  in  feather,  with 
a  film  over  one  eye  that  gave  him  the  glare  of  a  spectre. 
He  was  perched  on  one  leg,  with  his  head  turned  on  one 
side,  poring  with  his  remaining  eye  on  a  diagram  described 
on  the  pavement. 

The  prince  approached  him  with  the  awe  and  reverence 
naturally  inspired  by  his  venerable  appearance  and  super 
natural  wisdom.  "  Pardon  me,  most  ancient  and  darkly  wise 
raven,"  exclaimed  he,  "if  for  a  moment  I  interrupt  those 
studies  which  are  the  wonder  of  the  world.  You  behold  be 
fore  you  a  votary  of  love,  who  would  fain  seek  your  counsel 
how  to  obtain  the  object  of  his  passion." 

"  In  other  words,"  said  the  raven,  with  a  significant  look, 
"you  seek  to  try  my  skill  in  palmistry.  Come,  show  me 
your  hand,  and  let  me  decipher  the  mysterious  lines  of 
fortune." 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  the  prince,  "  I  come  not  to  pry  into 
the  decrees  of  fate,  which  are  hidden  by  Allah  from  the  eyes 
of  mortals  ;  I  am  a  pilgrim  of  love,  and  seek  but  to  find  a 
clue  to  the  object  of  my  pilgrimage.  I  seek  one  unknown 
but  immaculate  beauty,  the  original  of  this  picture  ;  and  I 
beseech  thee,  most  potent  raven,  if  it  be  within  the  scope  of 
thy  knowledge  or  the  reach  of  thy  art,  inform  me  where  she 
may  be  found." 

[190] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

The  gray-headed  raven  was  rebuked  by  the  gravity  of  the 
prince. 

"  What  know  I,"  replied  he,  dryly,  "  of  youth  and  beauty? 
My  visits  are  to  the  old  and  withered,  not  to  the  fresh  and 
fair ;  the  harbinger  of  fate  am  I,  who  croak  bodings  of  death 
from  the  chimney-top,  and  flap  my  wings  at  the  sick  man's 
window.  You  must  seek  elsewhere  for  tidings  of  your  un 
known  beauty." 

"  And  where  can  I  seek  if  not  among  the  sons  of  wisdom, 
versed  in  the  book  of  destiny  ?  Know  that  I  am  a  royal 
prince,  fated  by  the  stars,  and  sent  on  a  mysterious  enterprise 
on  which  may  hang  the  destiny  of  empires." 

When  the  raven  heard  that  it  was  a  matter  of  vast  moment, 
in  which  the  stars  took  interest,  he  changed  his  tone  and 
manner,  and  listened  with  profound  attention  to  the  story  of 
the  prince.  When  it  was  concluded,  he  replied  :  "  Touching 
this  princess,  I  can  give  thee  no  information  of  myself,  for 
my  flight  is  not  among  gardens,  or  around  ladies'  bowers ; 
but  hie  thee  to  Cordova,  seek  the  palm-tree  of  the  great 
Abderahman,  which  stands  in  the  court  of  the  principal 
mosque ;  at  the  foot  of  it  thou  wilt  find  a  great  traveller 
who  has  visited  all  countries  and  courts,  and  been  a  favorite 
with  queens  and  princesses.  He  will  give  thee  tidings  of  the 
object  of  thy  search." 

"  Many  thanks  for  this  precious  information,"  said  the 
prince.  "  Farewell,  most  venerable  conjurer." 

"  Farewell,  pilgrim  of  love,"  said  the  raven,  dryly,  and 
again  fell  to  pondering  on  the  diagram. 

The  prince  sallied  forth  from  Seville,  sought  his  fellow- 
traveller  the  owl,  who  was  still  dozing  in  the  hollow  tree,  and 
set  off  for  Cordova. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

He  approached  it  along  hanging  gardens  and  orange  and 
citron  groves,  overlooking  the  fair  valley  of  the  Guadalquivir. 
When  arrived  at  its  gates  the  owl  flew  up  to  a  dark  hole  in 
the  wall,  and  the  prince  proceeded  in  quest  of  the  palm-tree 
planted  in  days  of  yore  by  the  great  Abderahman.  It  stood 
in  the  midst  of  the  great  court  of  the  mosque,  towering  from 
amidst  orange  and  cypress  trees.  Dervises  and  faquirs  were 
seated  in  groups  under  the  cloisters  of  the  court,  and  many 
of  the  faithful  were  performing  their  ablutions  at  the  fountains 
before  entering  the  mosque. 

At  the  foot  of  the  palm-tree  was  a  crowd  listening  to  the 
words  of  one  who  appeared  to  be  talking  with  great  volubil 
ity.  '  This,"  said  the  prince  to  himself,  "  must  be  the  great 
traveller  who  is  to  give  me  tidings  of  the  unknown  princess." 
He  mingled  in  the  crowd,  but  was  astonished  to  perceive  that 
they  were  all  listening  to  a  parrot,  who,  with  his  bright-green 
coat,  pragmatical  eye,  and  consequential  top-knot,  had  the  air 
of  a  bird  on  excellent  terms  with  himself. 

"  How  is  this,"  said  the  prince  to  one  of  the  by-standers, 
"that  so  many  grave  persons  can  be  delighted  with  the 
garrulity  of  a  chattering  bird  ?  " 

"You  know  not  whom  you  speak  of,"  said  the  other; 
"  this  parrot  is  a  descendant  of  the  famous  parrot  of  Persia, 
renowned  for  his  story-telling  talent.  He  has  all  the  learning 
of  the  East  at  the  tip  of  his  tongue,  and  can  quote  poetry  as 
fast  as  he  can  talk.  He  has  visited  various  foreign  courts, 
where  he  has  been  considered  an  oracle  of  erudition.  He  has 
been  a  universal  favorite  also  with  the  fair  sex,  who  have  a 
vast  admiration  for  erudite  parrots  that  can  quote  poetry." 

"  Enough,"  said  the  prince,  "  I  will  have  some  private 
talk  with  this  distinguished  traveller."" 

[192] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

He  sought  a  private  interview,  and  expounded  the  nature 
of  his  errand.  He  had  scarcely  mentioned  it  when  the  parrot 
burst  into  a  fit  of  dry  rickety  laughter,  that  absolutely  brought 
tears  into  his  eyes.  "  Excuse  my  merriment,"  said  he,  "  but 
the  mere  mention  of  love  always  sets  me  laughing." 

The  prince  was  shocked  at  this  ill-timed  mirth.  '!  Is  not 
love,"  said  he,  "  the  great  mystery  of  nature,  the  secret  prin 
ciple  of  life,  the  universal  bond  of  sympathy  ?  " 

"  A  fig's  end !  "  cried  the  parrot,  interrupting  him ; 
"  prithee  where  hast  thou  learned  this  sentimental  jargon  ? 
Trust  me,  love  is  quite  out  of  vogue ;  one  never  hears  of  it 
in  the  company  of  wits  and  people  of  refinement." 

The  prince  sighed  as  he  recalled  the  different  language  of 
his  friend  the  dove.  But  this  parrot,  thought  he,  has  lived 
about  the  court,  he  affects  the  wit  and  the  fine  gentleman,  he 
knows  nothing  of  the  thing  called  love.  Unwilling  to  provoke 
any  more  ridicule  of  the  sentiment  which  filled  his  heart,  he 
now  directed  his  inquiries  to  the  immediate  purport  of  his  visit. 

:'  Tell  me,"  said  he,  "  most  accomplished  parrot,  thou  who 
hast  everywhere  been  admitted  to  the  most  secret  bowers  of 
beauty,  hast  thou  in  the  course  of  thy  travels  met  with  the 
original  of  this  portrait  ?  " 

The  parrot  took  the  picture  in  his  claw,  turned  his  head 
from  side  to  srde,  and  examined  it  curiously  with  either  eye. 
"Upon  my  honor,"  said  he,  "a  very  pretty  face,  very  pretty; 
but  then  one  sees  so  many  pretty  women  in  one's  travels  that 
one  can  hardly — but  hold — bless  me!  now  I  look  at  it  again 
—  sure  enough,  this  is  the  Princess  Aldegonda :  how  could 
I  forget  one  that  is  so  prodigious  a  favorite  with  me !  " 

'The  Princess  Aldegonda!"  echoed  the  prince;  "and 
where  is  she  to  be  found  ?  " 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"  Softly,  softly,"  said  the  parrot,  "  easier  to  be  found  than 
gained.  She  is  the  only  daughter  of  the  Christian  king  who 
reigns  at  Toledo,  and  is  shut  up  from  the  world  until  her 
seventeenth  birthday,  on  account  of  some  prediction  of  those 
meddlesome  fellows  the  astrologers.  You  '11  not  get  a  sight 
of  her ;  no  mortal  man  can  see  her.  I  was  admitted  to  her 
presence  to  entertain  her,  and  I  assure  you,  on  the  word  of 
a  parrot  who  has  seen  the  world,  I  have  conversed  with 
much  sillier  princesses  in  my  time." 

"  A  word  in  confidence,  my  dear  parrot,"  said  the  prince. 
-'  I  am  heir  to  a  kingdom,  and  shall  one  day  sit  upon  a  throne. 
I  see  that  you  are  a  bird  of  parts,  and  understand  the  world. 
Help  me  to  gain  possession  of  this  princess,  and  I  will 
advance  you  to  some  distinguished  place  about  court." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  said  the  parrot ;  "but  let  it  be  a  sine 
cure  if  possible,  for  we  wits  have  a  great  dislike  to  labor." 

Arrangements  were  promptly  made  :  the  prince  sallied 
forth  from  Cordova  through  the  same  gate  by  which  he  had 
entered ;  called  the  owl  down  from  the  hole  in  the  wall,  in 
troduced  him  to  his  new  travelling  companion  as  a  brother 
savant,  and  away  they  set  off  on  their  journey. 

They  travelled  much  more  slowly  than  accorded  with  the 
impatience  of  the  prince  ;  but  the  parrot  was  accustomed  to 
high  life,  and  did  not  like  to  be  disturbed  early  in  the  morn 
ing.  The  owl,  on  the  other  hand,  was  for  sleeping  at  mid 
day,  and  lost  a  great  deal  of  time  by  his  long  siestas.  His 
antiquarian  taste  also  was  in  the  way  ;  for  he  insisted  on 
pausing  and  inspecting  every  ruin,  and  had  long  legendary 
tales  to  tell  about  every  old  tower  and  castle  in  the  country. 
The  prince  had  supposed  that  he  and  the  parrot;  being  both 
birds  of  learning,  would  delight  in  each  other's  society,  but 

[•94] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

never  had  he  been  more  mistaken.  They  were  eternally 
bickering.  The  one  was  a  wit,  the  other  a  philosopher. 
The  parrot  quoted  poetry,  was  critical  on  new  readings  and 
eloquent  on  small  points  of  erudition  ;  the  owl  treated  all 
such  knowledge  as  trifling,  and  relished  nothing  but  meta 
physics.  Then  the  parrot  would  sing  songs  and  repeat  ban 
mots  and  crack  jokes  upon  his  solemn  neighbor,  and  laugh 
outrageously  at  his  own  wit ;  all  which  proceedings  the 
owl  considered  as  a  grievous  invasion  of  his  dignity,  and 
would  scowl  and  sulk  and  swell,  and  be  silent  for  a  whole 
day  together. 

The  prince  heeded  not  the  wranglings  of  his  companions, 
being  wrapped  up  in  the  dreams  of  his  own  fancy  and  the 
contemplation  of  the  portrait  of  the  beautiful  princess.  In 
this  way  they  journeyed  through  the  stern  passes  of  the 
Sierra  Morena,  across  the  sunburnt  plains  of  La  Mancha 
and  Castile,  and  along  the  banks  of  the  "  Golden  Tagus," 
which  winds  its  wizard  mazes  over  one  half  of  Spain  and 
Portugal.  At  length  they  came  in  sight  of  a  strong  city  with 
walls  and  towers  built  on  a  rocky  promontory,  round  the  foot 
of  which  the  Tagus  circled  with  brawling  violence. 

"  Behold,"  exclaimed  the  owl,  "  the  ancient  and  renowned 
city  of  Toledo ;  a  city  famous  for  its  antiquities.  Behold 
those  venerable  domes  and  towers,  hoary  with  time  and 
clothed  with  legendary  grandeur,  in  which  so  many  of  my 
ancestors  have  meditated." 

"  Pish  !  "  cried  the  parrot,  interrupting  his  solemn  anti 
quarian  rapture,  "what  have  we  to  do  with  antiquities,  and 
legends,  and  your  ancestry?  Behold  what  is  more  to  the 
purpose  —  behold  the  abode  of  youth  and  beauty  —  behold 
at  length,  O  prince,  the  abode  of  your  long-sought  princess." 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

The  prince  looked  in  the  direction  indicated  by  the  parrot, 
and  beheld,  in  a  delightful  green  meadow  on  the  banks  of 
the  Tagus,  a  stately  palace  rising  from  amidst  the  bowers  of 
a  delicious  garden.  It  was  just  such  a  place  as  had  been 
described  by  the  dove  as  the  residence  of  the  original  of  the 
picture.  He  gazed  at  it  with  a  throbbing  heart ;  "  perhaps  at 
this  moment,"  thought  he,  "  the  beautiful  princess  is  sport 
ing  beneath  those  shady  bowers,  or  pacing  with  delicate  step 
those  stately  terraces,  or  reposing  beneath  those  lofty  roofs  !  " 
As  he  looked  more  narrowly,  he  perceived  that  the  walls  of 
the  garden  were  of  great  height,  so  as  to  defy  access,  while 
numbers  of  armed  guards  patrolled  around  them. 

The  prince  turned  to  the  parrot.  "  O  most  accomplished 
of  birds,"  said  he,  "  thou  hast  the  gift  of  human  speech. 
Hie  thee  to  yon  garden  ;  seek  the  idol  of  my  soul,  and  tell 
her  that  Prince  Ahmed,  a  pilgrim  of  love,  and  guided  by 
the  stars,  has  arrived  in  quest  of  her  on  the  flowery  banks 
of  the  Tagus." 

The  parrot,  proud  of  his  embassy,  flew  away  to  the  garden, 
mounted  above  its  lofty  walls,  and  after  soaring  for  a  time 
over  the  lawns  and  groves,  alighted  on  the  balcony  of  a  pavil 
ion  that  overhung  the  river.  Here,  looking  in  at  the  case 
ment,  he  beheld  the  princess  reclining  on  a  couch,  with  her 
eyes  fixed  on  a  paper,  while  tears  gently  stole  after  each 
other  down  her  pallid  cheek. 

Pluming  his  wings  for  a  moment,  adjusting  his  bright- 
green  coat,  and  elevating  his  top-knot,  the  parrot  perched 
himself  beside  her  with  a  gallant  air ;  then  assuming  a  ten 
derness  of  tone,  "  Dry  thy  tears,  most  beautiful  of  princesses," 
said  he  ;  "I  come  to  bring  solace  to  thy  heart." 

The  princess  was  startled  on  hearing  a  voice,  but  turning, 
[196] 


AHMED   AL    KAMEL 

and  seeing  nothing  but  a  little  green-coated  bird  bobbing  and 
bowing  before  her,  "Alas!  what  solace  canst  thou  yield," 
said  she,  "  seeing  thou  art  but  a  parrot  ?  " 

The  parrot  was  nettled  at  the  question.  "  I  have  consoled 
many  beautiful  ladies  in  my  time,"  said  he;  "but  let  that 
pass.  At  present  I  come  ambassador  from  a  royal  prince. 
Know  that  Ahmed,  the  Prince  of  Granada,  has  arrived  in 
quest  of  thee,  and  is  encamped  even  now  on  the  flowery 
banks  of  the  Tagus." 

The  eyes  of  the  beautiful  princess  sparkled  at  these  words, 
even  brighter  than  the  diamonds  in  her  coronet.  "  O  sweet 
est  of  parrots,"  cried  she,  "joyful  indeed  are  thy  tidings,  for 
I  was  faint  and  weary,  and  sick  almost  unto  death  with  doubt 
of  the  constancy  of  Ahmed.  Hie  thee  back,  and  tell  him 
that  the  words  of  his  letter  are  engraven  in  my  heart,  and 
his  poetry  has  been  the  food  of  my  soul.  Tell  him,  however, 
that  he  must  prepare  to  prove  his  love  by  force  of  arms  ;  to 
morrow  is  my  seventeenth  birthday,  when  the  king,  my  father, 
holds  a  great  tournament ;  several  princes  are  to  enter  the 
lists,  and  my  hand  is  to  be  the  prize  of  the  victor." 

The  parrot  again  took  wing,  and  rustling  through  the 
groves,  flew  back  to  where  the  prince  awaited  his  return. 
The  rapture  of  Ahmed  on  finding  the  original  of  his  adored 
portrait,  and  finding  her  kind  and  true,  can  only  be  conceived 
by  those  favored  mortals  who  have  had  the  good  fortune  to 
realize  day-dreams  and  turn  a  shadow  into  substance  ;  still 
there  was  one  thing  that  alloyed  his  transport  —  this  impend 
ing  tournament.  In  fact,  the  banks  of  the  Tagus  were  already 
glittering  with  arms,  and  resounding  with  trumpets  of  the 
various  knights,  who,  with  proud  retinues,  were  prancing  on 
towards  Toledo  to  attend  the  ceremonial.  The  same  star  that 

[•97] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

had  controlled  the  destiny  of  the  prince  had  governed  that 
of  the  princess,  and  until  her  seventeenth  birthday  she  had 
been  shut  up  from  the  world,  to  guard  her  from  the  tender 
passion.  The  fame  of  her  charms,  however,  had  been  en 
hanced  rather  than  obscured  by  this  seclusion.  Several  pow 
erful  princes  had  contended  for  her  hand  ;  and  her  father, 
who  was  a  king  of  wondrous  shrewdness,  to  avoid  making 
enemies  by  showing  partiality,  had  referred  them  to  the  arbit 
rament  of  arms.  Among  the  rival  candidates  were  several 
renowned  for  strength  and  prowess.  What  a  predicament  for 
the  unfortunate  Ahmed,  unprovided  as  he  was  with  weapons, 
and  unskilled  in  the  exercise  of  chivalry  !  "  Luckless  prince 
that  I  am  !  "  said  he,  "  to  have  been  brought  up  in  seclusion 
under  the  eye  of  a  philosopher !  Of  what  avail  are  algebra 
and  philosophy  in  affairs  of  love  ?  Alas,  Eben  Bonabben ! 
why  hast  thou  neglected  to  instruct  me  in  the  management 
of  arms  ?  "  Upon  this  the  owl  broke  silence,  preluding  his 
harangue  with  a  pious  ejaculation,  for  he  was  a  devout 
Mussulman. 

"Allah  Akbar !  God  is  great!"  exclaimed  he;  "  in  his 
hands  are  all  secret  things  —  he  alone  governs  the  destiny  of 
princes  !  Know,  O  prince,  that  this  land  is  full  of  mysteries, 
hidden  from  all  but  those  who,  like  myself,  can  grope  after 
knowledge  in  the  dark.  Know  that  in  the  neighboring  moun 
tains  there  is  a  cave,  and  in  that  cave  there  is  an  iron  table, 
and  on  that  table  there  lies  a  suit  of  magic  armor,  and  beside 
that  table  there  stands  a  spell-bound  steed,  which  have  been 
shut  up  there  for  many  generations." 

The  prince  stared  with  wonder,  while  the  owl,  blinking  his 
huge  round  eyes,  and  erecting  his  horns,  proceeded. 

"  Many  years  since  I  accompanied  my  father  to  these  parts 
[198] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

on  a  tour  of  his  estates,  and  we  sojourned  in  that  cave ;  and 
thus  became  I  acquainted  with  the  mystery.  It  is  a  tradition 
in  our  family  which  I  have  heard  from  my  grandfather,  when 
I  was  yet  but  a  very  little  owlet,  that  this  armor  belonged  to 
a  Moorish  magician,  who  took  refuge  in  this  cavern  when 
Toledo  was  captured  by  the  Christians,  and  died  here,  leav 
ing  his  steed  and  weapons  under  a  mystic  spell,  never  to  be 
used  but  by  a  Moslem,  and  by  him  only  from  sunrise  to 
mid-day.  In  that  interval,  whoever  uses  them  will  overthrow 
every  opponent." 

"  Enough  :  let  us  seek  this  cave  !  "  exclaimed  Ahmed. 

Guided  by  his  legendary  mentor,  the  prince  found  the 
cavern,  which  was  in  one  of  the  wildest  recesses  of  those 
rocky  cliffs  which  rise  around  Toledo  ;  none  but  the  mousing 
eye  of  an  owl  or  an  antiquary  could  have  discovered  the  en 
trance  to  it.  A  sepulchral  lamp  of  everlasting  oil  shed  a  sol 
emn  light  through  the  place.  On  an  iron  table  in  the  centre 
of  the  cavern  lay  the  magic  armor,  against  it  leaned  the  lance, 
and  beside  it  stood  an  Arabian  steed,  caparisoned  for  the 
field,  but  motionless  as  a  statue.  The  armor  was  bright  and 
unsullied  as  it  had  gleamed  in  days  of  old,  the  steed  in  as 
good  condition  as  if  just  from  the  pasture,  and  when  Ahmed 
laid  his  hand  upon  his  neck,  he  pawed  the  ground  and  gave 
a  loud  neigh  of  joy  that  shook  the  walls  of  the  cavern.  Thus 
amply  provided  with  "  horse  and  rider  and  weapon  to  wear," 
the  prince  determined  to  defy  the  field  in  the  impending 
tourney. 

The  eventful  morning  arrived.  The  lists  for  the  combat 
were  prepared  in  the  vega,  or  plain,  just  before  the  cliff-built 
walls  of  Toledo,  where  stages  and  galleries  were  erected  for 
the  spectators,  covered  with  rich  tapestry,  and  sheltered  from 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

the  sun  by  silken  awnings.  All  the  beauties  of  the  land  were 
assembled  in  those  galleries,  while  below  pranced  plumed 
knights  with  their  pages  and  esquires,  among  whom  figured 
conspicuously  the  princes  who  were  to  contend  in  the  tourney. 
All  the  beauties  of  the  land,  however,  were  eclipsed  when 
the  Princess  Aldegonda  appeared  in  the  royal  pavilion,  and 
for  the  first  time  broke  forth  upon  the  gaze  of  an  admiring 
world.  A  murmur  of  wonder  ran  through  the  crowd  at  her 
transcendent  loveliness  ;  and  the  princes  who  were  candidates 
for  her  hand,  merely  on  the  faith  of  her  reported  charms, 
now  felt  tenfold  ardor  for  the  conflict. 

The  princess,  however,  had  a  troubled  look.  The  color 
came  and  went  from  her  cheek,  and  her  eye  wandered  with 
a  restless  and  unsatisfied  expression  over  the  plumed  throng 
of  knights.  The  trumpets  were  about  sounding  for  the 
encounter,  when  the  herald  announced  the  arrival  of  a 
strange  knight,  and  Ahmed  rode  into  the  field.  A  steel 
helmet  studded  with  gems  rose  above  his  turban,  his  cuirass 
was  embossed  with  gold,  his  cimeter  and  dagger  were  of  the 
workmanship  of  Fez,  and  flamed  with  precious  stones.  A 
round  shield  was  at  his  shoulder,  and  in  his  hand  he  bore 
the  lance  of  charmed  virtue.  The  caparison  of  his  Arabian 
steed  was  richly  embroidered  and  swept  the  ground,  and  the 
proud  animal  pranced  and  snuffed  the  air,  and  neighed  with 
joy  at  once  more  beholding  the  array  of  arms.  The  lofty 
and  graceful  demeanor  of  the  prince  struck  every  eye,  and 
when  his  appellation  was  announced,  "  The  Pilgrim  of 
Love,"  a  universal  flutter  and  agitation  prevailed  among  the 
fair  dames  in  the  galleries. 

When  Ahmed  presented  himself  at  the  lists,  however, 
they  were  closed  against  him  ;  none  but  princes,  he  was 

[200] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

told,  were  admitted  to  the  contest.  He  declared  his  name 
and  rank.  Still  worse  !  —  he  was  a  Moslem,  and  could  not 
engage  in  a  tourney  where  the  hand  of  a  Christian  princess 
was  the  prize. 

The  rival  princes  surrounded  him  with  haughty  and 
menacing  aspects,  and  one  of  insolent  demeanor  and  Her 
culean  frame  sneered  at  his  light  and  youthful  form,  and 
scoffed  at  his  amorous  appellation.  The  ire  of  the  prince 
was  roused.  He  defied  his  rival  to  the  encounter.  They 
took  distance,  wheeled,  and  charged ;  and  at  the  first  touch 
of  the  magic  lance,  the  brawny  scoffer  was  tilted  from  his 
saddle.  Here  the  prince  would  have  paused,  but,  alas !  he 
had  to  deal  with  a  demoniac  horse  and  armor ;  once  in 
action,  nothing  could  control  them.  The  Arabian  steed 
charged  into  the  thickest  of  the  throng ;  the  lance  over 
turned  everything  that  presented ;  the  gentle  prince  was 
carried  pell-mell  about  the  field,  strewing  it  with  high  and 
low,  gentle  and  simple,  and  grieving  at  his  own  involuntary 
exploits.  The  king  stormed  and  raged  at  this  outrage  on 
his  subjects  and  his  guests.  He  ordered  out  all  his  guards 
—  they  were  unhorsed  as  fast  as  they  came  up.  The  king 
threw  off  his  robes,  grasped  buckler  and  lance,  and  rode 
forth  to  awe  the  stranger  with  the  presence  of  majesty  itself. 
Alas !  majesty  fared  no  better  than  the  vulgar ;  the  steel 
and  lance  were  no  respecters  of  persons ;  to  the  dismay  of 
Ahmed,  he  was  borne  full  tilt  against  the  king,  and  in  a 
moment  the  royal  heels  were  in  the  air,  and  the  crown  was 
rolling  in  the  dust. 

At  this  moment  the  sun  reached  the  meridian  ;  the  magic 
spell  resumed  its  power ;  the  Arabian  steed  scoured  across 
the  plain,  leaped  the  barrier,  plunged  into  the  Tagus,  swam 

[toil 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

its  raging  current,  bore  the  prince  breathless  and  amazed 
to  the  cavern,  and  resumed  his  station,  like  a  statue,  beside 
the  iron  table.  The  prince  dismounted  right  gladly,  and  re 
placed  the  armor,  to  abide  the  further  decrees  of  fate.  Then 
seating  himself  in  the  cavern,  he  ruminated  on  the  desperate 
state  to  which  this  demoniac  steed  and  armor  had  reduced 
him.  Never  should  he  dare  to  show  his  face  at  Toledo  after 
inflicting  such  disgrace  upon  its  chivalry,  and  such  an  out 
rage  on  its  king.  What,  too,  would  the  princess  think  of  so 
rude  and  riotous  an  achievement  ?  Full  of  anxiety,  he  sent 
forth  his  winged  messengers  to  gather  tidings.  The  parrot 
resorted  to  all  the  public  places  and  crowded  resorts  of  the 
city,  and  soon  returned  with  a  world  of  gossip.  All  Toledo 
was  in  consternation.  The  princess  had  been  borne  off  sense 
less  to  the  palace ;  the  tournament  had  ended  in  confusion  ; 
every  one  was  talking  of  the  sudden  apparition,  prodigious 
exploits,  and  strange  disappearance  of  the  Moslem  knight. 
Some  pronounced  him  a  Moorish  magician,  others  thought 
him  a  demon  who  had  assumed  a  human  shape,  while  others 
related  traditions  of  enchanted  warriors  hidden  in  the  caves 
of  the  mountains,  and  thought  it  might  be  one  of  these, 
who  had  made  a  sudden  irruption  from  his  den.  All  agreed 
that  no  mere  ordinary  mortal  could  have  wrought  such  won 
ders,  or  unhorsed  such  accomplished  and  stalwart  Christian 
warriors. 

The  owl  flew  forth  at  night  and  hovered  about  the  dusky 
city,  perching  on  the  roofs  and  chimneys.  He  then  wheeled 
his  flight  up  to  the  royal  palace,  which  stood  on  a  rocky  sum 
mit  of  Toledo,  and  went  prowling  about  its  terraces  and  bat 
tlements,  eavesdropping  at  every  cranny,  and  glaring  in  with 
his  big  goggling  eyes  at  every  window  where  there  was  a  light 

[202] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

so  as  to  throw  two  or  three  maids  of  honor  into  fits.  It  was 
not  until  the  gray  dawn  began  to  peer  above  the  mountains 
that  he  returned  from  his  mousing  expedition,  and  related 
to  the  prince  what  he  had  seen. 

"  As  I  was  prying  about  one  of  the  loftiest  towers  of  the 
palace,"  said  he,  "I  beheld  through  a  casement  a  beautiful 
princess.  She  was  reclining  on  a  couch  with  attendants  and 
physicians  around  her,  but  she  would  none  of  their  ministry 
and  relief.  When  they  retired,  I  beheld  her  draw  forth  a 
letter  from  her  bosom,  and  read  and  kiss  it,  and  give  way  to 
loud  lamentations  ;  at  which,  philosopher  as  I  am,  I  could 
but  be  greatly  moved." 

The  tender  heart  of  Ahmed  was  distressed  at  these  tidings. 
"  Too  true  were  thy  words,  O  sage  Eben  Bonabben,"  cried 
he  ;  "  care  and  sorrow  and  sleepless  nights  are  the  lot  of 
lovers.  Allah  preserve  the  princess  from  the  blighting 
influence  of  this  thing  called  love  !  " 

Further  intelligence  from  Toledo  corroborated  the  report 
of  the  owl.  The  city  was  a  prey  to  uneasiness  and  alarm. 
The  princess  was  conveyed  to  the  highest  tower  of  the 
palace,  every  avenue  to  which  was  strongly  guarded.  In  the 
meantime  a  devouring  melancholy  had  seized  upon  her,  of 
which  no  one  could  divine  the  cause  —  she  refused  food  and 
turned  a  deaf  ear  to  every  consolation.  The  most  skilful 
physicians  had  essayed  their  art  in  vain  ;  it  was  thought 
some  magic  spell  had  been  practised  upon  her,  and  the  king 
made  proclamation,  declaring  that  whoever  should  effect  her 
cure  should  receive  the  richest  jewel  in  the  royal  treasury. 

When  the  owl,  who  was  dozing  in  a  corner,  heard  of  this 
proclamation,  he  rolled  his  large  eyes  and  looked  more 
mysterious  than  ever. 

[203] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"Allah  Akbar !  "  exclaimed  he,  "happy  the  man  that 
shall  effect  that  cure,  should  he  but  know  what  to  choose 
from  the  royal  treasury." 

"  What  mean  you,  most  reverend  owl  ?  "  said  Ahmed. 

"  Hearken,  O  prince,  to  what  I  shall  relate.  We  owls, 
you  must  know,  are  a  learned  body,  and  much  given  to  dark 
and  dusty  research.  During  my  late  prowling  at  night  about 
the  domes  and  turrets  of  Toledo,  I  discovered  a  college  of 
antiquarian  owls,  who  hold  their  meetings  in  a  great  vaulted 
tower  where  the  royal  treasury  is  deposited.  Here  they  were 
discussing  the  forms  and  inscriptions  and  designs  of  ancient 
gems  and  jewels,  and  of  golden  and  silver  vessels,  heaped 
up  in  the  treasury,  the  fashion  of  every  country  and  age ; 
but  mostly  they  were  interested  about  certain  relics  and  talis 
mans  that  have  remained  in  the  treasury  since  the  time  of 
Roderick  the  Goth.  Among  these  was  a  box  of  sandal-wood 
secured  by  bands  of  steel  of  Oriental  workmanship,  and 
inscribed  with  mystic  characters  known  only  to  the  learned 
few.  This  box  and  its  inscription  had  occupied  the  college 
for  several  sessions,  and  had  caused  much  long  and  grave 
dispute.  At  the  time  of  my  visit  a  very  ancient  owl,  who  had 
recently  arrived  from  Egypt,  was  seated  on  the  lid  of  the 
box,  lecturing  upon  the  inscription,  and  he  proved  from  it 
that  the  coffer  contained  the  silken  carpet  of  the  throne  of 
Solomon  the  Wise  ;  which  doubtless  had  been  brought  to 
Toledo  by  the  Jews  who  took  refuge  there  after  the  downfall 
of  Jerusalem." 

When  the  owl  had  concluded  his  antiquarian  harangue, 
the  prince  remained  for  a  time  absorbed  in  thought.  "  I  have 
heard,"  said  he,  "  from  the  sage  Eben  Bonabben,  of  the  won 
derful  properties  of  that  talisman,  which  disappeared  at  the 

[204] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

fall  of  Jerusalem,  and  was  supposed  to  be  lost  to  mankind. 
Doubtless  it  remains  a  sealed  mystery  to  the  Christians  of 
Toledo.  If  I  can  get  possession  of  that  carpet,  my  fortune 
is  secure." 

The  next  day  the  prince  laid  aside  his  rich  attire,  and 
arrayed  himself  in  the  simple  garb  of  an  Arab  of  the  desert. 
He  dyed  his  complexion  to  a  tawny-  hue,  and  no  one  could 
have  recognized  in  him  the  splendid  warrior  who  had  caused 
such  admiration  and  dismay  at  the  tournament.  With  staff 
in  hand,  and  scrip  by  his  side,  and  a  small  pastoral  reed,  he 
repaired  to  Toledo,  and  presenting  himself  at  the  gate  of  the 
royal  palace,  announced  himself  as  a  candidate  for  the  reward 
offered  for  the  cure  of  the  princess.  The  guards  would  have 
driven  him  away  with  blows.  "What  can  a  vagrant  Arab 
like  thyself  pretend  to  do,"  said  they,  "  in  a  case  where  the 
most  learned  of  the  land  have  failed  ?  "  The  king,  however, 
overheard  the  tumult,  and  ordered  the  Arab  to  be  brought 
into  his  presence. 

"Most  potent  king,"  said  Ahmed,  "you  behold  before 
you  a  Bedouin  Arab,  the  greater  part  of  whose  life  has  been 
passed  in  the  solitudes  of  the  desert.  These  solitudes,  it  is 
well  known,  are  the  haunts  of  demons  and  evil  spirits,  who 
beset  us  poor  shepherds  in  our  lonely  watchings,  enter  into 
and  possess  our  flocks  and  herds,  and  sometimes  render  even 
the  patient  camel  furious  ;  against  these,  our  counter  charm 
is  music  ;  and  we  have  legendary  airs  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation,  that  we  chant  and  pipe,  to  cast 
forth  these  evil  spirits.  I  am  of  a  gifted  line,  and  possess 
this  power  in  its  fullest  force.  If  it  be  any  evil  influence  of 
the  kind  that  holds  a  spell  over  thy  daughter,  I  pledge  my 
head  to  free  her  from  its  sway." 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  king,  who  was  a  man  of  understanding,  and  knew 
the  wonderful  secrets  possessed  by  the  Arabs,  was  inspired 
with  hope  by  the  confident  language  of  the  prince.  He  con 
ducted  him  immediately  to  the  lofty  tower,  secured  by  several 
doors,  in  the  summit  of  which  was  the  chamber  of  the  prin 
cess.  The  windows  opened  upon  a  terrace  with  balustrades, 
commanding  a  view  over  Toledo  and  all  the  surrounding 
country.  The  windows  were  darkened,  for  the  princess  lay 
within,  a  prey  to  a  devouring  grief  that  refused  all  alleviation. 

The  prince  seated  himself  on  the  terrace,  and  performed 
several  wild  Arabian  airs  on  his  pastoral  pipe,  which  he 
had  learnt  from  his  attendants  in  the  Generalife  at  Granada. 
The  princess  continued  insensible,  and  the  doctors  who  were 
present  shook  their  heads  and  smiled  with  incredulity  and 
contempt :  at  length  the  prince  laid  aside  the  reed,  and, 
to  a  simple  melody,  chanted  the  amatory  verses  of  the  letter 
which  had  declared  his  passion. 

The  princess  recognized  the  strain  —  a  fluttering  joy  stole 
to  her  heart ;  she  raised  her  head  and  listened ;  tears  rushed  to 
her  eyes  and  streamed  down  her  cheeks  ;  her  bosom  rose  and 
fell  with  a  tumult  of  emotions.  She  would  have  asked  for  the 
minstrel  to  be  brought  into  her  presence,  but  maiden  coyness 
held  her  silent.  The  king  read  her  wishes,  and  at  his  command 
Ahmed  was  conducted  into  the  chamber.  The  lovers  were 
discreet :  they  but  exchanged  glances,  yet  those  glances  spoke 
volumes.  Never  was  triumph  of  music  more  complete.  The 
rose  had  returned  to  the  soft  cheek  of  the  princess,  the  fresh 
ness  to  her  lip,  and  the  dewy  light  to  her  languishing  eyes. 

All  the  physicians  present  stared  at  each  other  with  aston 
ishment.  The  king  regarded  the  Arab  minstrel  with  admira 
tion  mixed  with  awe.  "  Wonderful  youth  !  "  exclaimed  he, 


.  \  ,,  .,..•'•.  .  ...    •-.*•   ..<••.      - 

.ass      "w 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"thou  shalt  henceforth  be  the  first  physician  of  my  court, 
and  no  other  prescription  will  I  take  but  thy  melody.  For 
the  present  receive  thy  reward,  the  most  precious  jewel  in 
my  treasury." 

"  O  king,"  replied  Ahmed,  "  I  care  not  for  silver  or  gold 
or  precious  stones.  One  relic  hast  thou  in  thy  treasury, 
handed  down  from  the  Moslems  who  once  owned  Toledo  — 
a  box  of  sandal-wood  containing  a  silken  carpet :  give  me 
that  box,  and  I  am  content." 

All  present  were  surprised  at  the  moderation  of  the  Arab, 
and  still  more  when  the  box  of  sandal-wood  was  brought  and 
the  carpet  drawn  forth.  It  was  of  fine  green  silk,  covered 
with  Hebrew  and  Chaldaic  characters.  The  court  physicians 
looked  at  each  other,  shrugged  their  shoulders,  and  smiled 
at  the  simplicity  of  this  new  practitioner,  who  could  be 
content  with  so  paltry  a  fee. 

"  This  carpet,"  said  the  prince,  "once  covered  the  throne 
of  Solomon  the  Wise ;  it  is  worthy  of  being  placed  beneath 
the  feet  of  beauty." 

So  saying,  he  spread  it  on  the  terrace  beneath  an  ottoman 
that  had  been  brought  forth  for  the  princess ;  then  seating 
himself  at  her  feet  — 

"  Who,"  said  he,  "  shall,  counteract  what  is  written  in  the 
book  of  fate  ?  Behold  the  prediction  of  the  astrologers  verified. 
Know,  O  king,  that  your  daughter  and  I  have  long  loved 
each  other  in  secret.  Behold  in  me  the  Pilgrim  of  Love  !  " 

These  words  were  scarcely  from  his  lips  when  the  carpet 
rose  in  the  air,  bearing  off  the  prince  and  the  princess.  The 
king  and  the  physicians  gazed  after  it  with  open  mouths  and 
straining  eyes  until  it  became  a  little  speck  on  the  white  bosom 
of  a  cloud,  and  then  disappeared  in  the  blue  vault  of  heaven. 

[208] 


AHMED    AL    KAMEL 

The  king  in  a  rage  summoned  his  treasurer.  "  How  is 
this,"  said  he,  "that  thou  hast  suffered  an  infidel  to  get 
possession  of  such  a  talisman?" 

"Alas,  sir,  we  knew  not  its  nature,  nor  could  we  decipher  the 
inscription  of  the  box.  If  it  be  indeed  the  carpet  of  the  throne 
of  the  wise  Solomon,  it  is  possessed  of  magic  power,  and  can 
transport  its  owner  from  place  to  place  through  the  air." 

The  king  assembled  a  mighty  army,  and  set  off  for  Granada 
in  pursuit  of  the  fugitives.  His  march  was  long  and  toilsome. 
Encamping  in  the  Vega,  he  sent  a  herald  to  demand  restitu 
tion  of  his  daughter.  The  king  himself  came  forth  with  all 
his  court  to  meet  him.  In  the  king  he  beheld  the  real  min 
strel,  for  Ahmed  had  succeeded  to  the  throne  on  the  death 
of  his  father,  and  the  beautiful  Aldegonda  was  his  sultana. 

The  Christian  king  was  easily  pacified  when  he  found  that 
his  daughter  was  suffered  to  continue  in  her  faith ;  not  that  he 
was  particularly  pious,  but  religion  is  always  a  point  of  pride 
and  etiquette  with  princes.  Instead  of  bloody  battles,  there 
was  a  succession  of  feasts  and  rejoicings,  after  which  the  king 
returned  well  pleased  to  Toledo,  and  the  youthful  couple 
continued  to  reign,  as  happily  as  wisely,  in  the  Alhambra. 

It  is  proper  to  add  that  the  owl  and  the  parrot  had  severally 
followed  the  prince  by  easy  stages  to  Granada ;  the  former 
travelling  by  night,  and  stopping  at  the  various  hereditary 
possessions  of  his  family ;  the  latter  figuring  in  gay  circles 
of  every  town  and  city  on  his  route. 

Ahmed  gratefully  requited  the  services  which  they  had 
rendered  on  his  pilgrimage.  He  appointed  the  owl  his  prime- 
minister,  the  parrot  his  master  of  ceremonies.  It  is  needless 
to  say  that  never  was  a  realm  more  sagely  administered,  nor 
a  court  conducted  with  more  exact  punctilio. 

[209] 


LEGEND  OF  THE  MOOR'S  LEGACY 

TTUST  within  the  fortress  of  the  Alhambra,  in  front  of 
the  royal  palace,  is  a  broad  open  esplanade,  called  the 
**sJs  Place  or  Square  of  the  Cisterns  (La  Plaza  de  los 
Aljibes),  so  called  from  being  undermined  by  reservoirs  of 
water,  hidden  from  sight,  and  which  have  existed  from  the 
time  of  the  Moors.  At  one  corner  of  this  esplanade  is  a 
Moorish  well,  cut  through  the  living  rock  to  a  great  depth, 
the  water  of  which  is  cold  as  ice  and  clear  as  crystal.  The 
wells  made  by  the  Moors  are  always  in  repute,  for  it  is  well 
known  what  pains  they  took  to  penetrate  to  the  purest  and 
sweetest  springs  and  fountains.  The  one  of  which  we  now 
speak  is  famous  throughout  Granada,  insomuch  that  water- 
carriers,  some  bearing  great  water-jars  on  their  shoulders, 
others  driving  asses  before  them  laden  with  earthen  vessels, 
are  ascending  and  descending  the  steep  woody  avenues  of  the 
Alhambra,  from  early  dawn  until  a  late  hour  of  the  night. 

Fountains  and  wells,  ever  since  the  scriptural  days,  have 
been  noted  gossiping-places  in  hot  climates  ;  and  at  the  well 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

in  question  there  is  a  kind  of  perpetual  club  kept  up  during 
the  livelong  day,  by  the  invalids,  old  women,  and  other  curious 
do-nothing  folk  of  the  fortress,  who  sit  here  on  the  stone 
benches,  under  an  awning  spread  over  the  well  to  shelter  the 
toll-gatherer  from  the  sun,  and  dawdle  over  the  gossip  of  the 
fortress,  and  question  every  water-carrier  that  arrives  about 
the  news  of  the  city,  and  make  long  comments  on  everything 
they  hear  and  see.  Not  an  hour  of  the  day  but  loitering 
housewives  and  idle  maid-servants  may  be  seen,  lingering, 
with  pitcher  on  head  or  in  hand,  to  hear  the  last  of  the 
endless  tattle  of  these  worthies. 

Among  the  water-carriers  who  once  resorted  to  this  well, 
there  was  a  sturdy,  strong-backed,  bandy-legged  little  fellow, 
named  Pedro  Gil,  but  called  Peregil  for  shortness,  who  had 
begun  business  with  merely  a  great  earthen  jar  which  he 
carried  upon  his  shoulder ;  by  degrees  he  rose  in  the  world, 
and  was  enabled  to  purchase  an  assistant  of  a  correspondent 
class  of  animals,  being  a  stout  shaggy-haired  donkey.  On 
each  side  of  this  his  long-eared  aide-de-camp,  in  a  kind  of 
pannier,  were  slung  his  water-jars,  covered  with  fig-leaves  to 
protect  them  from  the  sun.  There  was  not  a  more  industrious 
water-carrier  in  all  Granada,  nor  one  more  merry  withal 
The  streets  rang  with  his  cheerful  voice  as  he  trudged  after 
his  donkey,  singing  forth  the  usual  summer  note  that  resounds 
through  the  Spanish  towns  :  "  Quien  quiere  agua  —  agua 
mas  fria  que  la  nieve?" — "Who  wants  water  —  water 
colder  than  snow  ?  Who  wants  water  from  the  well  of  the 
Alhambra,  cold  as  ice  and  clear  as  crystal  ? "  When  he 
served  a  customer  with  a  sparkling  glass,  it  was  always  with 
a  pleasant  word  that  caused  a  smile  ;  and  if,  perchance,  it 
was  a  comely  dame  or  dimpling  damsel,  it  was  always  with  a 

[HI] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

compliment  to  her  beauty  that  was  irresistible.  Thus  Peregil 
the  Gallego  was  noted  throughout  all  Granada  for  being  one 
of  the  civilest,  pleasantest,  and  happiest  of  mortals.  Yet  it  is 
not  he  who  sings  loudest  and  jokes  most  that  has  the  lightest 
heart.  Under  all  this  air  of  merriment,  honest  Peregil  had 
his  cares  and  troubles.  He  had  a  large  family  of  ragged 
children  to  support,  who  were  hungry  and  clamorous  as  a 
nest  of  young  swallows,  and  beset  him  with  their  outcries  for 
food  whenever  he  came  home  of  an  evening.  He  had  a  help 
mate,  too,  who  was  anything  but  a  help  to  him.  She  had 
been  a  village  beauty  before  marriage,  noted  for  her  skill  at 
dancing  the  bolero  and  rattling  the  castanets ;  and  she  still 
retained  her  early  propensities,  spending  the  hard  earnings 
of  honest  Peregil  in  frippery,  and  laying  the  very  donkey 
under  requisition  for  junketing  parties  into  the  country  on 
Sundays  and  saints'  days,  and  those  innumerable  holidays, 
which  are  rather  more  numerous  in  Spain  than  the  days  of 
the  week.  With  all  this  she  was  a  little  of  a  slattern,  some 
thing  more  of  a  lie-abed,  and,  above  all,  a  gossip  of  the  first 
water ;  neglecting  house,  household,  and  everything  else,  to 
loiter  slipshod  in  the  houses  of  her  gossip  neighbors. 

He,  however,  who  tempers  the  wind  to  the  shorn  lamb, 
accommodates  the  yoke  of  matrimony  to  the  submissive 
neck.  Peregil  bore  all  the  heavy  dispensations  of  wife  and 
children  with  as  meek  a  spirit  as  his  donkey  bore  the  water- 
jars  ;  and,  however  he  might  shake  his  ears  in  private, 
never  ventured  to  question  the  household  virtues  of  his 
slattern  spouse. 

He  loved  his  children,  too,  even  as  an  owl  loves  its  owlets, 
seeing  in  them  his  own  image  multiplied  and  perpetuated ; 
for  they  were  a  sturdy,  long-backed,  bandy-legged  little  brood. 

[212] 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

The  great  pleasure  of  honest  Peregil  was,  whenever  he  could 
afford  himself  a  scanty  holiday,  and  had  a  handful  of  mara- 
vedis  to  spare,  to  take  the  whole  litter  forth  with  him,  some 
in  his  arms,  some  tugging  at  his  skirts,  and  some  trudging 
at  his  heels,  and  to  treat  them  to  a  gambol  among  the  orchards 
of  the  Vega,  while  his  wife  was  dancing  with  her  holiday 
friends  in  the  Angosturas  of  the  Darro. 

It  was  a  late  hour  one  summer  night,  and  most  of  the 
water-carriers  had  desisted  from  their  toils.  The  day  had 
been  uncommonly  sultry ;  the  night  was  one  of  those  deli 
cious  moonlights  which  tempt  the  inhabitants  of  southern 
climes  to  indemnify  themselves  for  the  heat  and  inaction  of 
the  day,  by  lingering  in  the  open  air,  and  enjoying  its  tem 
pered  sweetness  until  after  midnight.  Customers  for  water 
were  therefore  still  abroad.  Peregil,  like  a  considerate,  pains 
taking  father,  thought  of  his  hungry  children.  "One  more 
journey  to  the  well,"  said  he  to  himself,  "  to  earn  a  Sunday's 
puchero  for  the  little  ones."  So  saying,  he  trudged  manfully 
up  the  steep  avenue  of  the  Alhambra,  singing  as  he  went, 
and  now  and  then  bestowing  a  hearty  thwack  with  a  cudgel 
on  the  flanks  of  his  donkey,  either  by  way  of  cadence  to  the 
song,  or  refreshment  to  the  animal ;  for  dry  blows  serve  in 
lieu  of  provender  in  Spain  for  all  beasts  of  burden. 

When  arrived  at  the  well,  he  found  it  deserted  by  every 
one  except  a  solitary  stranger  in  Moorish  garb,  seated  on  a 
stone  bench  in  the  moonlight.  Peregil  paused  at  first  and 
regarded  him  with  surprise,  not  unmixed  with  awe,  but  the 
Moor  feebly  beckoned  him  to  approach.  "  I  am  faint  and  ill," 
said  he ;  "  aid  me  to  return  to  the  city,  and  I  will  pay  thee 
double  what  thou  couldst  gain  by  thy  jars  of  water." 

The  honest  heart  of  the  little  water-carrier  was  touched 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

with  compassion  at  the  appeal  of  the  stranger.  "  God  for 
bid,"  said  he,  "that  I  should  ask  fee  or  reward  for  doing  a 
common  act  of  humanity."  He  accordingly  helped  the  Moor 
on  his  donkey,  and  set  off  slowly  for  Granada,  the  poor 
Moslem  being  so  weak  that  it  was  necessary  to  hold  him  on 
the  animal  to  keep  him  from  falling  to  the  earth. 

When  they  entered  the  city  the  water-carrier  demanded 
whither  he  should  conduct  him.  "  Alas  !  "  said  the  Moor, 
faintly,  "  I  have  neither  home  nor  habitation  ;  I  am  a  stran 
ger  in  the  land.  Suffer  me  to  lay  my  head  this  night  beneath 
thy  roof,  and  thou  shalt  be  amply  repaid." 

Honest  Peregil  thus  saw  himself  unexpectedly  saddled  with 
an  infidel  guest,  but  he  was  too  humane  to  refuse  a  night's 
shelter  to  a  fellow-being  in  so  forlorn  a  plight ;  so  he  con 
ducted  the  Moor  to  his  dwelling.  The  children,  who  had 
sallied  forth  open-mouthed  as  usual  on  hearing  the  tramp  of 
the  donkey,  ran  back  with  affright  when  they  beheld  the  tur- 
baned  stranger,  and  hid  themselves  behind  their  mother. 
The  latter  stepped  forth  intrepidly,  like  a  ruffling  hen  before 
her  brood  when  a  vagrant  dog  approaches. 

"What  infidel  companion,"  cried  she,  "is  this  you  have 
brought  home  at  this  late  hour  to  draw  upon  us  the  eyes  of 
the  inquisition  ?  " 

"Be  quiet,  wife,"  replied  the  Gallego ;  "here  is  a  poor 
sick  stranger,  without  friend  or  home  ;  wouldst  thou  turn 
him  forth  to  perish  in  the  streets  ?  " 

The  wife  would  still  have  remonstrated,  for  although  she 
lived  in  a  hovel,  she  was  a  furious  stickler  for  the  credit  of 
her  house  ;  the  little  water-carrier,  however,  for  once  was 
stiffnecked,  and  refused  to  bend  beneath  the  yoke.  He  as 
sisted  the  poor  Moslem  to  alight,  and  spread  a  mat  and  a 

t«4] 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

sheep-skin  for  him,  on  the  ground,  in  the  coolest  part  of  the 
house  ;  being  the  only  kind  of  bed  that  his  poverty  afforded. 
In  a  little  while  the  Moor  was  seized  with  violent  convul 
sions,  which  defied  all  the  ministering  skill  of  the  simple 
water-carrier.  The  eye  of  the  poor  patient  acknowledged  his 
kindness.  During  an  interval  of  his  fits  he  called  him  to  his 
side,  and  addressing  him  in  a  low  voice  :  "  My  end,"  said 
he,  "I  fear  is  at  hand.  If  I  die,  I  bequeath  you  this  box 
as  a  reward  for  your  charity";  so  saying,  he  opened  his 
albornoz,  or  cloak,  and  showed  a  small  box  of  sandal-wood, 
strapped  round  his  body.  "  God  grant,  my  friend,"  replied 
the  worthy  little  Gallego,  "that  you  may  live  many  years  to 
enjoy  your  treasure,  whatever  it  may  be."  The  Moor  shook 
his  head ;  he  laid  his  hand  upon  the  box,  and  would  have 
said  something  more  concerning  it,  but  his  convulsions 
returned  with  increasing  violence,  and  in  a  little  while  he 
expired. 

The  water-carrier's  wife  was  now  as  one  distracted.  '  This 
comes,"  said  she,  "  of  your  foolish  good-nature,  always  run 
ning  into  scrapes  to  oblige  others.  What  will  become  of  us 
when  this  corpse  is  found  in  our  house  ?  We  shall  be  sent 
to  prison  as  murderers ;  and  if  we  escape  with  our  lives,  we 
shall  be  ruined  by  notaries  and  alguazils" 

Poor  Peregil  was  in  equal  tribulation,  and  almost  repented 
himself  of  having  done  a  good  deed.  At  length  a  thought 
struck  him.  "It  is  not  yet  day,"  said  he ;  "I  can  convey 
the  dead  body  out  of  the  city,  and  bury  it  in  the  sands  on 
the  banks  of  the  Xenil.  No  one  saw  the  Moor  enter  our 
'  dwelling,  and  no  one  will  know  anything  of  his  death." 

So  said,  so  done.  The  wife  aided  him  ;  they  rolled  the 
body  of  the  unfortunate  Moslem  in  the  mat  on  which  he  had 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

expired,  laid  it  across  the  ass,  and  Peregil  set  out  with  it 
for  the  banks  of  the  river. 

As  ill-luck  would  have  it,  there  lived  opposite  to  the  water- 
carrier  a  barber  named  Pedrillo  Pedrugo,  one  of  the  most 
prying,  tattling,  and  mischief -making  of  his  gossip  tribe.  He 
was  a  weasel-faced,  spider-legged  varlet,  supple  and  insinuat 
ing  ;  the  famous  barber  of  Seville  could  not  surpass  him  for 
his  universal  knowledge  of  the  affairs  of  others,  and  he  had 
no  more  power  of  retention  than  a  sieve.  It  was  said  that 
he  slept  but  with  one  eye  at  a  time,  and  kept  one  ear  uncov 
ered,  so  that  even  in  his  sleep  he  might  see  and  hear  all 
that  was  going  on.  Certain  it  is,  he  was  a  sort  of  scandalous 
chronicle  for  the  quidnuncs  of  Granada,  and  had  more  cus 
tomers  than  all  the  rest  of  his  fraternity. 

This  meddlesome  barber  heard  Peregil  arrive  at  an  unusual 
hour  at  night,  and  the  exclamations  of  his  wife  and  children. 
His  head  was  instantly  popped  out  of  a  little  window  which 
served  him  as  a  look-out,  and  he  saw  his  neighbor  assist  a 
man  in  Moorish  garb  into  his  dwelling.  This  was  so  strange 
an  occurrence  that  Pedrillo  Pedrugo  slept  not  a  wink  that 
night.  Every  five  minutes  he  was  at  his  loophole,  watching 
the  lights  that  gleamed  through  the  chinks  of  his  neighbor's 
door,  and  before  daylight  he  beheld  Peregil  sally  forth  with 
his  donkey  unusually  laden. 

The  inquisitive  barber  was  in  a  fidget ;  he  slipped  on  his 
clothes,  and,  stealing  forth  silently,  followed  the  water-carrier 
at  a  distance,  until  he  saw  him  dig  a  hole  in  the  sandy  bank 
of  the  Xenil,  and  bury  something  that  had  the  appearance 
of  a  dead  body. 

The  barber  hied  him  home,  and  fidgeted  about  his  shop, 
setting  everything  upside  down,  until  sunrise.  He  then  took 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

a  basin  under  his  arm,  and  sallied  forth  to  the  house  of  his 
daily  customer  the  Alcalde. 

The  Alcalde  had  just  risen.  Pedrillo  Pedrugo  seated  him 
in  a  chair,  threw  a  napkin  round  his  neck,  put  a  basin  of  hot 
water  under  his  chin,  and  began  to  mollify  his  beard  with 
his  fingers. 

"  Strange  doings !  "  said  Pedrugo,  who  played  barber  and 
newsmonger  at  the  same  time,  —  "  strange  doings  !  Robbery, 
and  murder,  and  burial  all  in  one  night !  " 

"  Hey  !  —  how  !  —  what  is  that  you  say,"  cried  the  Alcalde. 

"  I  say,"  replied  the  barber,  rubbing  a  piece  of  soap  over 
the  nose  and  mouth  of  the  dignitary,  for  a  Spanish  barber 
disdains  to  employ  a  brush,  —  "I  say  that  Peregil  the  Gal- 
lego  has  robbed  and  murdered  a  Moorish  Mussulman,  and 
buried  him,  this  blessed  night.  Maldita  sea  la  noche ;  — 
Accursed  be  the  night  for  the  same !  " 

"  But  how  do  you  know  all  this  ?  "  demanded  the  Alcalde. 

"  Be  patient,  Senor,  and  you  shall  hear  all  about  it," 
replied  Pedrillo,  taking  him  by  the  nose  and  sliding  a  razor 
over  his  cheek.  He  then  recounted  all  that  he  had  seen, 
going  through  both  operations  at  the  same  time,  shaving 
his  beard,  washing  his  chin,  and  wiping  him  dry  with  a 
dirty  napkin,  while  he  was  robbing,  murdering,  and  burying 
the  Moslem. 

Now  it  so  happened  that  this  Alcalde  was  one  of  the  most 
overbearing,  and  at  the  same  time  most  griping  and  corrupt 
curmudgeons  in  all  Granada.  It  could  not  be  denied,  how 
ever,  that  he  set  a  high  value  upon  justice,  for  he  sold  it  at 
its  weight  in  gold.  He  presumed  the  case  in  point  to  be  one 
of  murder  and  robbery  ;  doubtless  there  must  be  a  rich  spoil ; 
how  was  it  to  be  secured  into  the  legitimate  hands  of  the  law  ? 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

for  as  to  merely  entrapping  the  delinquent  —  that  would  be 
feeding  the  gallows  ;  but  entrapping  the  booty  —  that  would 
be  enriching  the  judge,  and  such,  according  to  his  creed,  was 
the  great  end  of  justice.  So  thinking,  he  summoned  to  his 
presence  his  trustiest  alguazil  —  a  gaunt,  hungry-looking 
varlet,  clad,  according  to  the  custom  of  his  order,  in  the 
ancient  Spanish  garb,  a  broad  black  beaver  turned  up  at  its 
sides  ;  a  quaint  ruff ;  a  small  black  cloak  dangling  from  his 
shoulders ;  rusty  black  under-clothes  that  set  off  his  spare 
wiry  frame,  while  in  his  hand  he  bore  a  slender  white  wand, 
the  dreaded  insignia  of  his  office.  Such  was  the  legal  blood 
hound  of  the  ancient  Spanish  breed,  that  he  put  upon  the 
traces  of  the  unlucky  water-carrier,  and  such  was  his  speed 
and  certainty,  that  he  was  upon  the  haunches  of  poor  Peregil 
before  he  had  returned  to  his  dwelling,  and  brought  both 
him  and  his  donkey  before  the  dispenser  of  justice. 

The  Alcalde  bent  upon  him  one  of  the  most  terrific  frowns. 
"  Hark  ye,  culprit !  "  roared  he,  in  a  voice  that  made  the 
knees  of  the  little  Gallego  smite  together,  -  "  hark  ye,  cul 
prit  !  there  is  no  need  of  denying  thy  guilt,  everything  is 
known  to  me.  A  gallows  is  the  proper  reward  for  the  crime 
thou  hast  committed,  but  I  am  merciful,  and  readily  listen 
to  reason.  The  man  that  has  been  murdered  in  thy  house 
was  a  Moor,  an  infidel,  the  enemy  of  our  faith.  It  was  doubt 
less  in  a  fit  of  religious  zeal  that  thou  hast  slain  him.  I  will 
be  indulgent,  therefore ;  render  up  the  property  of  which 
thou  hast  robbed  him,  and  we  will  hush  the  matter  up." 

The  poor  water-carrier  called  upon  all  the  saints  to  witness 
his  innocence  ;  alas  !  not  one  of  them  appeared  ;  and  if  they 
had  the  Alcalde  would  have  disbelieved  the  whole  calendar. 
The  water-carrier  related  the  whole  story  of  the  dying  Moor 

[218] 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

with  the  straightforward  simplicity  of  truth,  but  it  was  all  in 
vain.  "Wilt  thou  persist  in  saying,"  demanded  the  judge, 
"  that  this  Moslem  had  neither  gold  nor  jewels,  which  were 
the  object  of  thy  cupidity  ?  " 

"  As  I  hope  to  be  saved,  your  worship,"  replied  the  water- 
carrier,  "  he  had  nothing  but  a  small  box  of  sandal- wood, 
which  he  bequeathed  to  me  in  reward  for  my  services." 

"  A  box  of  sandal-wood  !  a  box  of  sandal- wood  !  "  exclaimed 
the  Alcalde,  his  eyes  sparkling  at  the  idea  of  precious  jewels. 
"  And  where  is  this  box  ?  where  have  you  concealed  it  ?  " 

"  An'  it  please  your  grace,"  replied  the  water-carrier,  "it 
is  in  one  of  the  panniers  of  my  mule,  and  heartily  at  the 
service  of  your  worship." 

He  had  hardly  spoken  the  words,  when  the  keen  alguazil 
darted  off,  and  reappeared  in  an  instant  with  the  mysterious 
box  of  sandal-wood.  The  Alcalde  opened  it  with  an  eager 
and  trembling  hand  ;  all  pressed  forward  to  gaze  upon  the 
treasure  it  was  expected  to  contain  ;  when,  to  their  disap 
pointment,  nothing  appeared  within,  but  a  parchment  scroll, 
covered  with  Arabic  characters,  and  an  end  of  a  waxen  taper. 

When  there  is  nothing  to  be  gained  by  the  conviction  of 
a  prisoner,  justice,  even  in  Spain,  is  apt  to  be  impartial.  The 
Alcalde,  having  recovered  from  his  disappointment,  and  found 
that  there  was  really  no  booty  in  the  case,  now  listened  dis 
passionately  to  the  explanation  of  the  water-carrier,  which 
was  corroborated  by  the  testimony  of  his  wife.  Being  con 
vinced,  therefore,  of  his  innocence,  he  discharged  him  from 
arrest ;  nay,  more,  he  permitted  him  to  carry  off  the  Moor's 
legacy,  the  box  of  sandal-wood  and  its  contents,  as  the  well- 
merited  reward  of  his  humanity';  but  he  retained  his  donkey 
in  payment  of  costs  and  charges. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Behold  the  unfortunate  little  Gallego  reduced  once  more 
to  the  necessity  of  being  his  own  water-carrier,  and  trudging 
up  to  the  well  of  the  Alhambra  with  a  great  earthen  jar 
upon  his  shoulder. 

As  he  toiled  up  the  hill  in  the  heat  of  a  summer  noon, 
his  usual  good-humor  forsook  him.  "  Dog  of  an  Alcalde  !  " 
would  he  cry,  "  to  rob  a  poor  man  of  the  means  of  his  sub 
sistence,  of  the  best  friend  he  had  in  the  world  !  "  And  then 
at  the  remembrance  of  the  beloved  companion  of  his  labors, 
all  the  kindness  of  his  nature  would  break  forth.  "  Ah,  donkey 
of  my  heart !  "  would  he  exclaim,  resting  his  burden  on  a 
stone,  and  wiping  the  sweat  from  his  brow,  —  "ah,  donkey 
of  my  heart !  I  warrant  me  thou  thinkest  of  thy  old  master ! 
I  warrant  me  thou  missest  the  water- jars  —  poor  beast !  " 

To  add  to  his  afflictions,  his  wife  received  him,  on  his 
return  home,  with  whimperings  and  repinings ;  she  had 
clearly  the  vantage-ground  of  him,  having  warned  him  not 
to  commit  the  egregious  act  of  hospitality  which  had  brought 
on  him  all  these  misfortunes ;  and,  like  a  knowing  woman, 
she  took  every  occasion  to  throw  her  superior  sagacity  in  his 
teeth.  If  her  children  lacked  food,  or  needed  a  new  garment, 
she' could  answer  with  a  sneer,  "Go  to  your  father  —  he  is 
heir  to  King  Chico  of  the  Alhambra  :  ask  him  to  help  you 
out  of  the  Moor's  strong  box." 

Was  ever  poor  mortal  so  soundly  punished  for  having  done 
a  good  action  ?  The  unlucky  Peregil  was  grieved  in  flesh  and 
spirit,  but  still  he  bore  meekly  with  the  railings  of  his  spouse. 
At  length,  one  evening,  when,  after  a  hot  day's  toil,  she 
taunted  him  in  the  usual  manner,  he  lost  all  patience.  He 
did  not  venture  to  retort  upon  her,  but  his  eye  rested  upon 
the  box  of  sandal-wood,  which  lay  on  a  shelf  with  lid  half 

[220] 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

open,  as  if  laughing  in  mockery  at  his  vexation.  Seizing  it 
up,  he  dashed  it  with  indignation  to  the  floor.  "  Unlucky 
was  the  day  that  I  ever  set  eyes  on  thee,"  he  cried,  "or 
sheltered  thy  master  beneath  my  roof !  " 

As  the  box  struck  the  floor,  the  lid  flew  wide  open,  and 
the  parchment  scroll  rolled  forth. 

Peregil  sat  regarding  the  scroll  for  some  time  in  moody 
silence.  At  length  rallying  his  ideas,  "  Who  knows,"  thought 
he,  "  but  this  writing  may  be  of  some  importance,  as  the 
Moor  seems  to  have  guarded  it  with  such  care  ?  "  Picking  it 
up  therefore,  he  put  it  in  his  bosom,  and  the  next  morning, 
as  he  wa£  crying  water  through  the  streets,  he  stopped  at 
the  shop  of  a  Moor,  a  native  of  Tangiers,  who  sold  trinkets 
and  perfumery  in  the  Zacatin,  and  asked  him  to  explain 
the  contents. 

The  Moor  read  the  scroll  attentively,  then  stroked  his 
beard  and  smiled.  "This  manuscript,"  said  he,  "is  a  form 
of  incantation  for  the  recovery  of  hidden  treasure  that  is 
under  the  power  of  enchantment.  It  is  said  to  have  such 
virtue  that  the  strongest  bolts  and  bars,  nay  the  adamantine 
rock  itself,  will  yield  before  it !  " 

"  Bah  !  "  cried  the  little  Gallego,  "  what  is  all  that  to  me  ? 
I  am  no  enchanter,  and  know  nothing  of  buried  treasure." 
So  saying,  he  shouldered  his  water-jar,  left  the  scroll  in  the 
hands  of  the  Moor,  and  trudged  forward  on  his  daily  rounds. 

That  evening,  however,  as  he  rested  himself  about  twilight 
at  the  well  of  the  Alhambra,  he  found  a  number  of  gossips 
assembled  at  the  place,  and  their  conversation,  as  is  not  un 
usual  at  that  shadowy  hour,  turned  upon  old  tales  and  traditions 
of  a  supernatural  nature.  Being  all  poor  as  rats,  they  dwelt 
with  peculiar  fondness  upon  the  popular  theme  of  enchanted 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

riches  left  by  the  Moors  in  various  parts  of  the  Alhambra. 
Above  all,  they  concurred  in  the  belief  that  there  were  great 
treasures  buried  deep  in  the  earth  under  the  Tower  of  the 
Seven  Floors. 

These  stories  made  an  unusual  impression  on  the  mind  of 
the  honest  Peregil,  and  they  sank  deeper  and  deeper  into  his 
thoughts  as  he  returned  alone  down  the  darkling  avenues. 
"If,  after  all,  there  should  be  treasure  hid  beneath  that 
tower ;  and  if  the  scroll  I  left  with  the  Moor  should  enable 
me  to  get  at  it !  "  In  the  sudden  ecstasy  of  the  thought  he 
had  well-nigh  let  fall  his  water-jar. 

That  night  he  tumbled  and  tossed,  and  could  scarcely  get 
a  wink  of  sleep  for  the  thoughts  that  were  bewildering  his 
brain.  Bright  and  early  he  repaired  to  the  shop  of  the  Moor, 
and  told  him  all  that  was  passing  in  his  mind.  "  You  can 
read  Arabic,"  said  he ;  "  suppose  we  go  together  to  the 
tower,  and  try  the  effect  of  the  charm ;  if  it  fails,  we  are  no 
worse  off  than  before ;  but  if  it  succeeds,  we  will  share 
equally  all  the  treasure  we  may  discover." 

11  Hold,"  replied  the  Moslem ;  "  this  writing  is  not  sufficient 
of  itself ;  it  must  be  read  at  midnight,  by  the  light  of  a 
taper  singularly  compounded  and  prepared,  the  ingredients  of 
which  are  not  within  my  reach.  Without  such  a  taper  the 
scroll  is  of  no  avail." 

"  Say  no  more  !  "  cried  the  little  Gallego  ;  "  I  have  such 
a  taper  at  hand,  and  will  bring  it  here  in  a  moment."  So 
saying,  he  hastened  home,  and  soon  returned  with  the  end  of 
yellow  wax  taper  that  he  had  found  in  the  box  of  sandal-wood. 

The  Moor  felt  it  and  smelled  of  it.  "Here  are  rare  and 
costly  perfumes,"  said  he,  "  combined  with  this  yellow  wax. 
This  is  the  kind  of  taper  specified  in  the  scroll.  While  this 

[222] 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

burns,  the  strongest  walls  and  most  secret  caverns  will  remain 
open.  Woe  to  him,  however,  who  lingers  within  until  it  be 
extinguished.  He  will  remain  enchanted  with  the  treasure." 

It  was  now  agreed  between  them  to  try  the  charm  that 
very  night.  At  a  late  hour,  therefore,  when  nothing  was 
stirring  but  bats  and  owls,  they  ascended  the  woody  hill  of 
the  Alhambra,  and  approached  that  awful  tower,  shrouded 
by  trees  and  rendered  formidable  by  so  many  traditionary 
tales.  By  the  light  of  a  lantern  they  groped  their  way  through 
bushes,  and  over  fallen  stones,  to  the  door  of  a  vault  beneath 
the  tower.  With  fear  and  trembling  they  descended  a  flight 
of  steps  cut  into  the  rock.  It  led  to  an  empty  chamber, 
damp  and  drear,  from  which  another  flight  of  steps  led  to  a 
deeper  vault.  In  this  way  they  descended  four  several  flights, 
leading  into  as  many  vaults,  one  below  the  other,  but  the 
floor  of  the  fourth  was  solid ;  and  though,  according  to 
tradition,  there  remained  three  vaults  still  below,  it  was  said 
to  be  impossible  to  penetrate  farther,  the  residue  being  shut 
up  by  strong  enchantment.  The  air  of  this  vault  was  damp 
and  chilly,  and  had  an  earthy  smell,  and  the  light  scarce  cast 
forth  any  rays.  They  paused  here  for  a  time,  in  breathless 
suspense,  until  they  faintly  heard  the  clock  of  the  watch-tower 
strike  midnight ;  upon  this  they  lit  the  waxen  taper,  which 
diffused  an  odor  of  myrrh  and  frankincense  and  storax. 

The  Moor  began  to  read  in  a  hurried  voice.  He  had 
scarce  finished  when  there  was  a  noise  as  of  subterraneous 
thunder.  The  earth  shook,  and  the  floor,  yawning  open,  dis 
closed  a  flight  of  steps.  Trembling  with  awe,  they  descended, 
and  by  the  light  of  the  lantern  found  themselves  in  another 
vault  covered  with  Arabic  inscriptions.  In  the  centre  stood 
a  great  chest,  secured  with  seven  bands  of  steel,  at  each  end  of 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

which  sat  an  enchanted  Moor  in  armor,  but  motionless  as  a 
statue,  being  controlled  by  the  power  of  the  incantation. 
Before  the  chest  were  several  jars  rilled  with  gold  and  silver 
and  precious  stones.  In  the  largest  of  these  they  thrust  their 
arms  up  to  the  elbow,  and  at  every  dip  hauled  forth  handfuls 
of  broad  yellow  pieces  of  Moorish  gold,  or  bracelets  and 
ornaments  of  the  same  precious  metal,  while  occasionally  a 
necklace  of  Oriental  pearl  would  stick  to  their  fingers.  Still 
they  trembled  and  breathed  short  while  cramming  their 
pockets  with  the  spoils  ;  and  cast  many  a  fearful  glance  at 
the  two  enchanted  Moors,  who  sat  grim  and  motionless, 
glaring  upon  them  with  unwinking  eyes.  At  length,  struck 
with  a  sudden  panic  at  some  fancied  noise,  they  both  rushed 
up  the  staircase,  tumbled  over  one  another  into  the  upper 
apartment,  overturned  and  extinguished  the  waxen  taper, 
and  the  pavement  again  closed  with  a  thundering  sound. 

Filled  with  dismay,  they  did  not  pause  until  they  had 
groped  their  way  out  of  the  tower,  and  beheld  the  stars 
shining  through  the  trees.  Then,  seating  themselves  upon 
the  grass,  they  divided  the  spoil,  determining  to  content 
themselves  for  the  present  with  this  mere  skimming  of  the 
jars,  but  to  return  on  some  future  night  and  drain  them  to 
the  bottom.  To  make  sure  of  each  other's  good  faith,  also, 
they  divided  the  talismans  between  them,  one  retaining  the 
scroll  and  the  other  the  taper ;  this  done,  they  set  off  with 
light  hearts  and  well-lined  pockets  for  Granada. 

As  they  wended  their  way  down  the  hill,  the  shrewd  Moor 
whispered  a  word  of  counsel  in  the  ear  of  the  simple  little 
water-carrier. 

"Friend  Peregil,"  said  he,  "all  this  affair  must  be  kept 
a  profound  secret  until  we  have  secured  the  treasure,  and 

[224] 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

conveyed  it  out  of  harm's  way.  If  a  whisper  of  it  gets  to 
the  ear  of  the  Alcalde,  we  are  undone !  " 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  Gallego,  "  nothing  can  be  more 
true." 

"Friend  Peregil,"  said  the  Moor,  "you  are  a  discreet 
man,  and  I  make  no  doubt  can  keep  a  secret ;  but  you  have 
a  wife." 

"  She  shall  not  know  a  word  of  it,"  replied  the  little  water- 
carrier,  sturdily. 

"  Enough,"  said  the  Moor,  "  I  depend  upon  thy  discretion 
and  thy  promise." 

Never  was  promise  more  positive  and  sincere  ;  but,  alas  ! 
what  man  can  keep  a  secret  from  his  wife  ?  Certainly  not 
such  a  one  as  Peregil  the  water-carrier,  who  was  one  of  the 
most  loving  and  tractable  of  husbands.  On  his  return  home, 
he  found  his  wife  moping  in  a  corner.  "  Mighty  well,"  cried 
she  as  he  entered,  "you  've  come  at  last,  after  rambling  about 
until  this  hour  of  the  night.  I  wonder  you  have  not  brought 
home  another  Moor  as  a  house-mate."  Then  bursting  into 
tears,  she  began  to  wring  her  hands  and  smite  her  breast. 
"Unhappy  woman  that  I  am!  "  exclaimed  she,  "what  will 
become  of  me  ?  My  house  stripped  and  plundered  by  lawyers 
and  alguazils ;  my  husband  a  do-no-good,  that  no  longer 
brings  home  bread  to  his  family,  but  goes  rambling  about 
day  and  night,  with  infidel  Moors !  O  my  children !  my 
children  !  what  will  become  of  us  ?  We  shall  all  have  to 
beg  in  the  streets  !  " 

Honest  Peregil  was  so  moved  by  the  distress  of  his  spouse 
that  he  could  not  help  whimpering  also.  His  heart  was 
as  full  as  his  pocket,  and  not  to  be  restrained.  Thrusting 
his  hand  into  the  latter  he  hauled  forth  three  or  four  broad 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

gold-pieces,  and  slipped  them  into  her  bosom.  The  poor 
woman  stared  with  astonishment,  and  could  not  understand 
the  meaning  of  this  golden  shower.  Before  she  could  recover 
from  her  surprise,  the  little  Gallego  drew  forth  a  chain  of 
gold  and  dangled  it  before  her,  capering  with  exultation,  his 
mouth  distended  from  ear  to  ear. 

"  What  hast  thou  been  doing,  Peregil  ? "  exclaimed  the  wife ; 
"  surely  thou  hast  not  been  committing  murder  and  robbery  !  " 

The  idea  scarce  entered  the  brain  of  the  poor  woman  than 
it  became  a  certainty  with  her.  She  saw  a  prison  and  a 
gallows  in  the  distance,  and  a  little  bandy-legged  Gallego 
hanging  pendent  from  it ;  and,  overcome  by  the  horrors 
conjured  up  by  imagination,  fell  into  violent  hysterics. 

What  could  the  poor  man  do  ?  He  had  no  other  means 
of  pacifying  his  wife,  and  dispelling  the  phantoms  of  her 
fancy,  than  by  relating  the  whole  story  of  his  good  fortune. 
This,  however,  he  did  not  do  until  he  had  exacted  from  her 
the  most  solemn  promise  to  keep  it  a  profound  secret  from 
every  living  being. 

To  describe  her  joy  would  be  impossible.  She  flung  her 
arms  round  the  neck  of  her  husband,  and  almost  strangled 
him  with  her  caresses.  "  Now,  wife,"  exclaimed  the  little 
man,  with  honest  exultation,  "what  say  you  now  to  the 
Moor's  legacy  ?  Henceforth  never  abuse  me  for  helping  a 
fellow-creature  in  distress." 

The  honest  Gallego  retired  to  his  sheep-skin  mat,  and 
slept  as  soundly  as  if  on  a  bed  of  down.  Not  so  his  wife. 
She  emptied  the  whole  contents  of  his  pockets  upon  the 
mat,  and  sat  counting  gold  pieces  of  Arabic  coin,  trying  on 
necklaces  and  earrings,  and  fancying  the  figure  she  should 
one  day  make  when  permitted  to  enjoy  her  riches. 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

On  the  following  morning  the  honest  Gall  ego  took  a  broad 
golden  coin,  and  repaired  with  it  to  a  jeweller's  shop  in  the 
Zacatin  to  offer  it  for  sale,  pretending  to  have  found  it  among 
the  ruins  of  the  Alhambra.  The  jeweller  saw  that  it  had  an 
Arabic  inscription,  and  was  of  the  purest  gold ;  he  offered, 
however,  but  a  third  of  its  value,  with  which  the  water-carrier 
was  perfectly  content.  Peregil  now  bought  new  clothes  for 
his  little  flock,  and  all  kinds  of  toys,  together  with  ample 
provisions  for  a  hearty  meal,  and  returning  to  his  dwelling, 
set  all  his  children  dancing  around  him,  while  he  capered 
in  the  midst,  the  happiest  of  fathers. 

The  wife  of  the  water-carrier  kept  her  promise  of  secrecy 
with  surprising  strictness.  For  a  whole  day  and  a  half  she 
went  about,  with  a  look  of  mystery  and  a  heart  swelling 
almost  to  bursting ;  yet  she  held  her  peace,  though  sur 
rounded  by  her  gossips.  It  is  true  she  could  not  help  giving 
herself  a  few  airs,  apologized  for  her  ragged  dress,  and  talked 
of  ordering  a  new  basquina,  all  trimmed  with  gold  lace  and 
bugles,  and  a  new  lace  mantilla.  She  threw  out  hints  of  her 
husband's  intention  of  leaving  off  his  trade  of  water-carrying, 
as  it  did  not  altogether  agree  with  his  health.  In  fact,  she 
thought  they  should  all  retire  to  the  country  for  the  summer, 
that  the  children  might  have  the  benefit  of  the  mountain  air, 
for  there  was  no  living  in  the  city  in  this  sultry  season. 

The  neighbors  stared  at  each  other,  and  thought  the  poor 
woman  had  lost  her  wits  ;  and  her  airs  and  graces  and  elegant 
pretensions  were  the  theme  of  universal  scoffing  and  merri 
ment  among  her  friends  the  moment  her  back  was  turned. 

If  she  restrained  herself  abroad,  however,  she  indemnified 
herself  at  home,  and  putting  a  string  of  rich  Oriental  pearls 
round  her  neck,  Moorish  bracelets  on  her  arms,  and  an  aigrette 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

of  diamonds  on  her  head,  sailed  backwards  and  forwards 
in  her  slattern  rags  about  the  room,  now  and  then  stopping 
to  admire  herself  in  a  broken  mirror.  Nay,  in  the  impulse 
of  her  simple  vanity,  she  could  not  resist,  on  one  occasion, 
showing  herself  at  the  window,  to  enjoy  the  effect  of  her 
finery  on  the  passers  by. 

As  the  fates  would  have  it,  Pedrillo  Pedrugo,  the  meddle 
some  barber,  was  at  this  moment  sitting  idly  in  his  shop  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  when  his  ever-watchful  eye 
caught  the  sparkle  of  a  diamond.  In  an  instant  he  was  at 
his  loophole  reconnoitring  the  slattern  spouse  of  the  water- 
carrier,  decorated  with  the  splendor  of  an  Eastern  bride. 
No  sooner  had  he  taken  an  accurate  inventory  of  her  orna 
ments,  than  he  posted  off  with  all  speed  to  the  Alcalde.  In 
a  little  while  the  hungry  alguasil  was  again  on  the  scent,  and 
before  the  day  was  over  the  unfortunate  Peregil  was  once 
more  dragged  into  the  presence  of  the  judge. 

"  How  is  this,  villain  !  "  cried  the  Alcalde,  in  a  furious 
voice.  "You  told  me  that  the  infidel  who  died  in  your  house 
left  nothing  behind  but  an  empty  coffer,  and  now  I  hear  of 
your  wife  flaunting  in  her  rags  decked  out  with  pearls  and 
diamonds.  Wretch  that  thou  art !  prepare  to  render  up  the 
spoils  of  thy  miserable  victim,  and  to  swing  on  the  gallows 
that  is  already  tired  of  waiting  for  thee." 

The  terrified  water-carrier  fell  on  his  knees,  and  made  a 
full  relation  of  the  marvellous  manner  in  which  he  had 
gained  his  wealth.  The  Alcalde,  the  alguazil,  and  the  in 
quisitive  barber  listened  with  greedy  ears  to  this  Arabian 
tale  of  enchanted  treasure.  The  alguasil  was  despatched  to 
bring  the  Moor  who  had  assisted  in  the  incantation.  The 
Moslem  entered,  half  frightened  out  of  his  wits  at  Ending 

[228] 


THE  MOOR'S    LEGACY 

himself  in  the  hands  of  the  harpies  of  the  law.  When  he 
beheld  the  water-carrier  standing  with  sheepish  looks  and 
downcast  countenance,  he  comprehended  the  whole  matter. 
"  Miserable  animal,"  said  he,  as  he  passed  near  him,  "  did 
I  not  warn  thee  against  babbling  to  thy  wife  ?  " 

The  story  of  the  Moor  coincided  exactly  with  that  of 
his  colleague ;  but  the  Alcalde  affected  to  be  slow  of  be 
lief,  and  threw  out  menaces  of  imprisonment  and  rigorous 
investigation. 

"  Softly,  good  Senor  Alcalde,"  said  the  Mussulman,  who 
by  this  time  had  recovered  his  usual  shrewdness  and  self- 
possession.  "  Let  us  not  mar  fortune's  favors  in  the  scramble 
for  them.  Nobody  knows  anything" of  this  matter  but  our 
selves  ;  let  us  keep  the  secret.  There  is  wealth  enough  in 
the  cave  to  enrich  us  all.  Promise  a  fair  division,  and  all 
shall  be  produced ;  refuse,  and  the  cave  shall  remain  forever 
closed." 

The  Alcalde  consulted  apart  with  the  alguaziL  The  latter 
was  an  old  fox  in  his  profession.  "  Promise  anything,"  said 
he,  "until  you  get  possession  of  the  treasure.  You  may 
then  seize  upon  the  whole,  and  if  he  and  his  accomplice 
dare  to  murmur,  threaten  them  with  the  fagot  and  the  stake 
as  infidels  and  sorcerers." 

The  Alcalde  relished  the  advice.  Smoothing  his  brow  and 
turning  to  the  Moor:  "This  is  a  strange  story,"  said  he, 
"  and  may  be  true  ;  but  I  must  have  ocular  proof  of  it.  This 
very  night  you  must  repeat  the  incantation  in  my  presence. 
If  there  be  really  such  treasure,  we  will  share  it  amicably  be 
tween  us,  and  say  nothing  further  of  the  matter ;  if  ye  have 
deceived  me,  expect  no  mercy  at  my  hands.  In  the  mean 
time  you  must  remain  in  custody." 

[229] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  Moor  and  the  water-carrier  cheerfully  agreed  to  these 
conditions,  satisfied  that  the  event  would  prove  the  truth  of 
their  words. 

Towards  midnight  the  Alcalde  sallied  forth  secretly,  at 
tended  by  the  alguazil  and  the  meddlesome  barber,  all 
strongly  armed.  They  conducted  the  Moor  and  the  water- 
carrier  as  prisoners,  and  were  provided  with  the  stout 
donkey  of  the  latter  to  bear  off  the  expected  treasure.  They 
arrived  at  the  tower  without  being  observed,  and  tying  the 
donkey  to  a  fig-tree,  descended  into  the  fourth  vault  of 
the  tower. 

The  scroll  was  produced,  the  yellow  waxen  taper  lighted, 
and  the  Moor  read  the  form  of  incantation.  The  earth  trem 
bled  as  before,  and  the  pavement  opened  with  a  thundering 
sound,  disclosing  the  narrow  flight  of  steps.  The  Alcalde, 
the  alguazil,  and  the  barber  were  struck  aghast,  and  could 
not  summon  courage  to  descend.  The  Moor  and  the  water- 
carrier  entered  the  lower  vault,  and  found  the  two  Moors 
seated  as  before,  silent  and  motionless.  They  removed  two 
of  the  great  jars,  filled  with  golden  coin  and  precious  stones. 
The  water-carrier  bore  them  up  one  by  one  upon  his  shoul 
ders,  but  though  a  strong-backed  little  man,  and  accustomed 
to  carry  burdens,  he  staggered  beneath  their  weight,  and 
found,  when  slung  on  each  side  of  his  donkey,  they  were 
as  much  as  the  animal  could  bear. 

"  Let  us  be  content  for  the  present,"  said  the  Moor ;  "  here 
is  as  much  treasure  as  we  can  carry  off  without  being  per 
ceived,  and  enough  to  make  us  all  wealthy  to  our  heart's 
desire." 

"Is  there  more  treasure  remaining  behind  ?  "  demanded 
the  Alcalde. 

[230] 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

"  The  greatest  prize  of  all,"  said  the  Moor,  "  a  huge  coffer 
bound  with  bands  of  steel,  and  filled  with  pearls  and  precious 
stones." 

"  Let  us  have  up  the  coffer  by  all  means,"  cried  the  grasp 
ing  Alcalde. 

"  I  will  descend  for  no  more,"  said  the  Moor,  doggedly  ; 
"  enough  is  enough  for  a  reasonable  man  —  more  is  super 
fluous." 

"  And  I,"  said  the  water-carrier,  "  will  bring  up  no  further 
burden  to  break  the  back  of  my  poor  donkey." 

Finding  commands,  threats,  and  entreaties  equally  vain, 
the  Alcalde  turned  to  his  two  adherents.  "  Aid  me,"  said 
he,  "to  bring  up  the  coffer,  and  its  contents  shall  be  di 
vided  between  us."  So  saying,  he  descended  the  steps, 
followed  with  trembling  reluctance  by  the  alguazil  and 
the  barber. 

No  sooner  did  the  Moor  behold  them  fairly  earthed  than 
he  extinguished  the  yellow  taper  ;  the  pavement  closed  with 
its  usual  crash,  and  the  three  worthies  remained  buried 
beneath  it. 

He  then  hastened  up  the  different  flights  of  steps,  nor 
stopped  until  in  the  open  air.  The  little  water-carrier  followed 
him  as  fast  as  his  short  legs  would  permit. 

"  What  hast  thou  done  ? "  cried  Peregil,  as  soon  as  he  could 
recover  breath.  "The  Alcalde  and  the  other  two  are  shut 
up  in  the  vault." 

"  It  is  the  will  of  Allah  !  "  said  the  Moor,  devoutly. 

"  And  will  you  not  release  them  ?  "  demanded  the  Gallego. 

"  Allah  forbid !  "  replied  the  Moor,  smoothing  his  beard. 
"It  is  written  in  the  book  of  fate  that  they  shall  remain 
enchanted  until  some  future  adventurer  arrive  to  break  the 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

charm.  The  will  of  God  be  done !  "  so  saying,  he  hurled 
the  end  of  the  waxen  taper  far  among  the  gloomy  thickets 
of  the  glen. 

There  was  now  no  remedy ;  so  the  Moor  and  the  water- 
carrier  proceeded  with  the  richly  laden  donkey  toward  the 
city,  nor  could  honest  Peregil  refrain  from  hugging  and  kiss 
ing  his  long-eared  fellow-laborer,  thus  restored  to  him  from 
the  clutches  of  the  law ;  and,  in  fact,  it  is  doubtful  which 
gave  the  simple-hearted  little  man  most  joy  at  the  moment, 
the  gaining  of  the  treasure,  or  the  recovery  of  the  donkey. 

The  two  partners  in  good  luck  divided  their  spoil  amicably 
and  fairly,  except  that  the  Moor,  who  had  a  little  taste  for 
trinketry,  made  out  to  get  into  his  heap  the  most  of  the  pearls 
and  precious  stones  and  other  baubles,  but  then  he  always 
gave  the  water-carrier  in  lieu  magnificent  jewels  of  massy 
gold,  of  five  times  the  size,  with  which  the  latter  was  heartily 
content.  They  took  care  not  to  linger  within  reach  of  acci 
dents,  but  made  off  to  enjoy  their  wealth  undisturbed  in  other 
countries.  The  Moor  returned  to  Africa,  to  his  native  city  of 
Tangiers,  and  the  Gallego,  with  his  wife,  his  children,  and 
his  donkey,  made  the  best  of  his  way  to  Portugal.  Here, 
under  the  admonition  and  tuition  of  his  wife,  he  became  a 
personage  of  some  consequence,  for  she  made  the  worthy 
little  man  array  his  long  body  and  short  legs  in  doublet  and 
hose,  with  a  feather  in  his  hat  and  a  sword  by  his  side,  and 
laying  aside  his  familiar  appellation  of  Peregil,  assume  the 
more  sonorous  title  of  Don  Pedro  Gil :  his  progeny  grew  up 
a  thriving  and  merry-hearted,  though  short  and  bandy-legged 
generation,  while  Senora  Gil,  befringed,  belaced,  and  betas- 
selled  from  her  head  to  her  heels,  with  glittering  rings  on 
every  finger,  became  a  model  of  slattern  fashion  and  finery. 

[232] 


THE    MOOR'S    LEGACY 

As  to  the  Alcalde  and  his  adjuncts,  they  remained  shut 
up  under  the  great  Tower  of  the  Seven  Floors,  and  there 
they  remain  spellbound  at  the  present  day.  Whenever  there 
shall  be  a  lack  in  Spain  of  meddling  barbers,  sharking  algua- 
zils,  and  corrupt  alcaldes,  they  may  be  sought  after ;  but  if 
they  have  to  wait  until  such  time  for  their  deliverance,  there 
is  danger  of  their  enchantment  enduring  until  doomsday. 


LEGEND  OF  THE  THREE  BEAUTIFUL 
PRINCESSES 

IN  OLD  times  there  reigned  a  Moorish  king  in  Granada, 
whose  name  was  Mohamed,  to  which  his  subjects  added 
the  appellation  of  El  Hayzari,  or  "The  Left-handed." 
Some  say  he  was  so  called  on  account  of  his  being  really 
more  expert  with  his  sinister  than  his  dexter  hand ;  others, 
because  he  was  prone  to  take  everything  by  the  wrong  end, 
or,  in  other  words,  to  mar  wherever  he  meddled.  Certain  it 
is,  either  through  misfortune  or  mismanagement,  he  was  con 
tinually  in  trouble  ;  thrice  was  he  driven  from  his  throne, 
and  on  one  occasion  barely  escaped  to  Africa  with  his  life, 
in  the  disguise  of  a  fisherman.  Still  he  was  as  brave  as  he 
was  blundering  ;  and  though  left-handed,  wielded  his  cimeter 
to  such  purpose,  that  he  each  time  re-established  himself  upon 
his  throne  by  dint  of  hard  fighting.  Instead,  however,  of 

[»34] 


THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

learning  wisdom  from  adversity,  he  hardened  his  neck,  and 
stiffened  his  left  arm  in  wilfulness.  The  evils  of  a  public 
nature  which  he  thus  brought  upon  himself  and  his  kingdom 
may  be  learned  by  those  who  will  delve  into  the  Arabian 
annals  of  Granada ;  the  present  legend  deals  but  with  his 
domestic  policy. 

As  this  Mohamed  was  one  day  riding  forth  with  a  train  of 
his  courtiers,  by  the  foot  of  the  mountain  of  Elvira,  he  met 
a  band  of  horsemen  returning  from  a  foray  into  the  land  of 
the  Christians.  They  were  conducting  a  long  string  of  mules 
laden  with  spoil,  and  many  captives  of  both  sexes,  among 
whom  the  monarch  was  struck  with  the  appearance  of  a 
beautiful  damsel,  richly  attired,  who  sat  weeping  on  a  low 
palfrey  and  heeded  not  the  consoling  words  of  a  duenna 
who  rode  beside  her. 

The  monarch  was  struck  with  her  beauty,  and,  on  inquiring 
of  the  captain  of  the  troop,  found  that  she  was  the  daughter 
of  the  Alcalde  of  a  frontier  fortress,  that  had  been  surprised 
and  sacked  in  the  course  of  the  foray.  Mohamed  claimed 
her  as  his  royal  share  of  the  booty,  and  had  her  conveyed  to 
the  Alhambra.  There  everything  was  devised  to  soothe  her 
melancholy ;  and  the  monarch,  more  and  more  enamored, 
sought  to  make  her  his  queen.  The  Spanish  maid  at  first 
repulsed  his  addresses  ;  he  was  an  infidel ;  he  was  the  open 
foe  of  her  country  ;  what  was  worse,  he  was  stricken  in  years  ! 

The  monarch,  finding  his  assiduities  of  no  avail,  determined 
to  enlist  in  his  favor  the  duenna,  who  had  been  captured  with 
the  lady.  She  was  an  Andalusian  by  birth,  whose  Christian 
name  is  forgotten,  being  mentioned  in  Moorish  legends  by 
no  other  appellation  than  that  of  the  discreet  Kadiga ;  and 
discreet  in  truth  she  was,  as  her  whole  history  makes  evident 

[«SS] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

No  sooner  had  the  Moorish  king  held  a  little  private  conver 
sation  with  her,  than  she  saw  at  once  the  cogency  of  his  rea 
soning,  and  undertook  his  cause  with  her  young  mistress. 

"  Go  to,  now !  "  cried  she ;  "  what  is  there  in  all  this  to 
weep  and  wail  about  ?  Is  it  not  better  to  be  mistress  of  this 
beautiful  palace,  with  all  its  gardens  and  fountains,  than  to 
be  shut  up  within  your  father's  old  frontier  tower  ?  As  to 
this  Mohamed  being  an  infidel,  what  is  that  to  the  purpose  ? 
You  marry  him,  not  his  religion ;  and  if  he  is  waxing  a  little 
old,  the  sooner  will  you  be  a  widow,  and  mistress  of  yourself  ; 
at  any  rate,  you  are  in  his  power,  and  must  either  be  a  queen 
or  a  slave." 

The  arguments  of  the  discreet  Kadiga  prevailed.  The 
Spanish  lady  dried  her  tears,  and  became  the  spouse  of 
Mohamed  the  Left-handed  ;  she  even  conformed,  in  appear 
ance,  to  the  faith  of  her  royal  husband ;  and  her  discreet 
duenna  immediately  became  a  zealous  convert  to  the  Moslem 
doctrines  :  it  was  then  the  latter  received  the  Arabian  name 
of  Kadiga,  and  was  permitted  to  remain  in  the  confidential 
employ  of  her  mistress. 

In  time  the  Moorish  king  was  made  the  proud  and  happy 
father  of  three  lovely  daughters,  all  born  at  the  same  time. 

As  usual  with  all  Moslem  monarchs,  he  summoned  his 
astrologers  on  this  happy  event.  They  cast  the  nativities  of 
the  three  princesses,  and  shook  their  heads.  "  Daughters, 
O  king !  "  said  they,  "  are  always  precarious  property ;  but 
these  will  most  need  your  watchfulness  when  they  arrive  at 
a  marriageable  age ;  at  that  time  gather  them  under  your 
wings,  and  trust  them  to  no  other  guardianship." 

Mohamed  the  Left-handed  was  acknowledged  to  be  a  wise 
king  by  his  courtiers,  and  was  certainly  so  considered  by 

[236] 


THE   THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

himself.  The  prediction  of  the  astrologers  caused  him  but 
little  disquiet,  trusting  to  his  ingenuity  to  guard  his  daughters 
and  outwit  the  Fates. 

The  queen  died  within  a  few  years,  bequeathing  her  infant 
daughters  to  his  love,  and  to  the  fidelity  of  the  discreet 
Kadiga. 

Many  years  had  yet  to  elapse  before  the  princesses  would 
arrive  at  that  period  of  danger  —  the  marriageable  age.  "  It 
is  good,  however,  to  be  cautious  in  time,"  said  the  shrewd 
monarch  ;  so  he  determined  to  have  them  reared  in  the  royal 
castle  of  Salobrena.  This  was  a  sumptuous  palace,  incrusted, 
as  it  were,  in  a  powerful  Moorish  fortress  on  the  summit  of 
a  hill  overlooking  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  It  was  a  royal 
retreat,  in  which  the  Moslem  monarchs  shut  up  such  of  their 
relatives  as  might  endanger  their  safety ;  allowing  them  all 
kinds  of  luxuries  and  amusements,  in  the  midst  of  which 
they  passed  their  lives  in  voluptuous  indolence. 

Here  the  princesses  remained,  immured  from  the  world, 
but  surrounded  by  enjoyment,  and  attended  by  female  slaves 
who  anticipated  their  wishes.  They  had  delightful  gardens 
for  their  recreation,  filled  with  the  rarest  fruits  and  flowers, 
with  aromatic  groves  and  perfumed  baths.  On  three  sides 
the  castle  looked  down  upon  a  rich  valley,  enamelled  with 
all  kinds  of  culture,  and  bounded  by  the  lofty  Alpuxarra 
mountains ;  on  the  other  side  it  overlooked  the  broad 
sunny  sea. 

In  this  delicious  abode,  in  a  propitious  climate,  and  under 
a  cloudless  sky,  the  three  princesses  grew  up  into  wondrous 
beauty ;  but  though  all  reared  alike,  they  gave  early  tokens 
of  diversity  6i  character.  Their  names  were  Zayda,  Zorayda, 
and  Zorahayda. 

[=37] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Zayda,  the  eldest,  was  of  an  intrepid  spirit,  and  took  the 
lead  of  her  sisters  in  everything,  as  she  had  done  in  entering 
into  the  world.  She  was  curious  and  inquisitive,  and  fond  of 
getting  at  the  bottom  of  things. 

Zorayda  had  a  great  feeling  for  beauty,  which  was  the 
reason,  no  doubt,  of  her  delighting  to  regard  her  own  image 
in  a  mirror  or  a  fountain,  and  of  her  fondness  for  flowers, 
and  jewels,  and  other  tasteful  ornaments. 

As  to  Zorahayda,  the  youngest,  she  was  soft  and  timid, 
and  extremely  sensitive,  with  a  vast  deal  of  disposable  ten 
derness,  as  was  evident  from  her  number  of  pet-flowers,  and 
pet-birds,  and  pet-animals,  all  of  which  she  cherished  with 
the  fondest  care.  Her  amusements,  too,  were  of  a  gentle 
nature,  and  mixed  up  with  musing  and  reverie.  She  would 
sit  for  hours  in  a  balcony,  gazing  on  the  sparkling  stars  of 
a  summer's  night,  or  on  the  sea  when  lit  up  by  the  moon ; 
and  at  such  times,  the  song  of  a  fisherman,  faintly  heard 
from  the  beach,  or  the  notes  of  a  Moorish  flute  from  some 
gliding  bark,  sufficed  to  elevate  her  feelings  into  ecstasy. 
The  least  uproar  of  the  elements,  however,  filled  her  with 
dismay  ;  and  a  clap  of  thunder  was  enough  to  throw  her  into 
a  swoon. 

Years  rolled  on  smoothly  and  serenely ;  the  discreet  Kadiga, 
to  whom  the  princesses  were  confided,  was  faithful  to  her 
trust,  and  attended  them  with  unremitting  care. 

The  castle  of  Salobrena,  as  has  been  said,  was  built  upon 
a  hill  on  the  sea-coast.  One  of  the  exterior  walls  straggled 
down  the  profile  of  the  hill,  until  it  reached  a  jutting  rock 
overhanging  the  sea,  with  a  narrow  sandy  beach  at  its  foot, 
laved  by  the  rippling  billows.  A  small  watch-tower  on  this 
rock  had  been  fitted  up  as  a  pavilion,  with  latticed  windows 


^THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

to  admit  the  sea-breeze.  Here  the  princesses  used  to  pass 
the  sultry  hours  of  mid-day. 

The  curious  Zayda  was  one  day  seated  at  a  window  of  the 
pavilion,  as  her  sisters,  reclining  on  ottomans,  were  taking 
the  siesta  or  noontide  slumber.  Her  attention  was  attracted 
to  a  galley  which  came  coasting  along,  with  measured  strokes 
of  the  oar.  As  it  drew  near,  she  observed  that  it  was  filled 
with  armed  men.  The  galley  anchored  at  the  foot  of  the 
tower.  A  number  of  Moorish  soldiers  landed  on  the  narrow 
beach,  conducting  several  Christian  prisoners.  The  curious 
Zayda  awakened  her  sisters,  and  all  three  peeped  cautiously 
through  the  close  jaloiisies  of  the  lattice  which  screened 
them  from  sight.  Among  the  prisoners  were  three  Spanish 
cavaliers,  richly  dressed.  They  were  in  the  flower  of  youth, 
and  of  noble  presence  ;  and  the  lofty  manner  in  which  they 
carried  themselves,  though  loaded  with  chains  and  surrounded 
with  enemies,  bespoke  the  grandeur  of  their  souls.  The  prin 
cesses  gazed  with  intense  and  breathless  interest.  Cooped  up 
as  they  had  been  in  this  castle  among  female  attendants,  seeing 
nothing  of  the  male  sex  but  black  slaves,  or  the  rude  fisher 
men  of  the  sea-coast,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  ap 
pearance  of  three  gallant  cavaliers,  in  the  pride  of  youth  and 
manly  beauty,  should  produce  some  commotion  in  their  bosom. 

"  Did  ever  nobler  being  tread  the  earth  than  that  cavalier 
in  crimson  ?  "  cried  Zayda,  the  eldest  of  the  sisters.  "  See 
how  proudly  he  bears  himself,  as  though  all  around  him 
were  his  slaves  !  " 

"  But  notice  that  one  in  green !  "  exclaimed  Zorayda. 
"What  grace!  what  elegance!  what  spirit!" 

The  gentle  Zorahayda  said  nothing,  but  she  secretly  gave 
preference  to  the  cavalier  in  blue. 

[239] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  princesses  remained  gazing  until  the  prisoners  were 
out  of  sight ;  then,  heaving  long-drawn  sighs,  they  turned 
round,  looked  at  each  other  for  a  moment,  and  sat  down, 
musing  and  pensive,  on  their  ottomans. 

The  discreet  Kadiga  found  them  in  this  situation.  They 
related  what  they  had  seen  ;  and  even  the  withered  heart  of 
the  duenna  was  warmed.  "  Poor  youths  !  "  exclaimed  she, 
11 1  '11  warrant  their  captivity  makes  many  a  fair  and  high-born 
lady's  heart  ache  in  their  native  land  !  Ah  !  my  children, 
you  have  little  idea  ot  the  life  these  cavaliers  lead  in  their 
own  country.  Such  prankling  at  tournaments  !  such  devotion 
to  the  ladies  !  such  courting  and  serenading  !  " 

The  curiosity  of  Zayda  was  fully  aroused ;  she  was  insatiable 
in  her  inquiries,  and  drew  from  the  duenna  the  most  animated 
pictures  of  the  scenes  of  her  youthful  days  and  native  land. 
The  beautiful  Zorayda  bridled  up,  and  slyly  regarded  herself 
in  a  mirror,  when  the  theme  turned  upon  the  charms  of 
the  Spanish  ladies  ;  while  Zorahayda  suppressed  a  struggling 
sigh  at  the  mention  of  moonlight  serenades. 

Every  day  the  curious  Zayda  renewed  her  inquiries, 
and  every  day  the  sage  duenna  repeated  her  stories,  which 
were  listened  to  with  profound  interest,  though  with  frequent 
sighs,  by  her  gentle  auditors.  The  discreet  old  woman  awoke 
at  length  to  the  mischief  she  might  be  doing.  She  had 
been  accustomed  to  think  of  the  princesses  only  as  children  ; 
but  they  had  imperceptibly  ripened  beneath  her  eye,  and 
now  bloomed  before  her  three  lovely  damsels  of  the  marriage 
able  age.  It  is  time,  thought  the  duenna,  to  give  notice 
to  the  king. 

Mohamed  the  Left-handed  was  seated  one  morning  on  a 
divan  in  a  cool  hall  of  the  Alhambra,  when  a  slave  arrived 

[240] 


THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

from  the  fortress  of  Salobrena,  with  a  message  from  the 
sage  Kadiga,  congratulating  him  on  the  anniversary  of  his 
daughters'  birthday.  The  slave  at  the  same  time  presented 
a  delicate  little  basket,  decorated  with  flowers,  within  which, 
on  a  couch  of  vine  and  fig-leaves,  lay  a  peach,  an  apricot, 
and  a  nectarine,  with  their  bloom  and  down  and  dewy 
sweetness  upon  them,  and  all  in  the  early  stage  of  tempting 
ripeness.  The  monarch  was  versed  in  the  Oriental  language 
of  fruits  and  flowers,  and  rapidly  divined  the  meaning  of 
this  emblematical  offering. 

"So,"  said  he,  "the  critical  period  pointed  out  by  the 
astrologers  is  arrived :  my  daughters  are  at  a  marriageable 
age.  What  is  to  be  done  ?  They  are  shut  up  from  the  eyes 
of  men  ;  they  are  under  the  eyes  of  the  discreet  Kadiga,  — 
all  very  good  ;  but  still  they  are  not  under  my  own  eye,  as 
was  prescribed  by  the  astrologers.  I  must  gather  them  under 
my  wing,  and  trust  to  no  other  guardianship." 

So  saying,  he  ordered  that  a  tower  of  the  Alhambra  should 
be  prepared  for  their  reception,  and  departed  at  the  head  of 
his  guards  for  the  fortress  of  Salobrena,  to  conduct  them 
home  in  person. 

About  three  years  had  elapsed  since  Mohamed  had  beheld 
his  daughters,  and  he  could  scarcely  credit  his  eyes  at  the 
wonderful  change  which  that  small  space  of  time  had  made 
in  their  appearance.  During  the  interval,  they  had  passed 
that  wondrous  boundary  line  in  female  life  which  separates 
the  crude,  unformed,  and  thoughtless  girl  from  the  blooming, 
blushing,  meditative  woman.  It  is  like  passing  from  the  flat, 
bleak,  uninteresting  plains  of  La  Mancha  to  the  voluptuous 
valleys  and  swelling  hills  of  Andalusia. 

Zayda  was  tall  and  finely  formed,  with  a  lofty  demeanor 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

and  a  penetrating  eye.  She  entered  with  a  stately  and 
decided  step,  and  made  a  profound  reverence  to  Mohamed, 
treating  him  more  as  her  sovereign  than  her  father.  Zorayda 
was  of  the  middle  height,  with  an  alluring  look  and  swimming 
gait,  and  a  sparkling  beauty,  heightened  by  the  assistance  of 
the  toilette.  She  approached  her  father  with  a  smile,  kissed 
his  hand,  and  saluted  him  with  several  stanzas  from  a  popular 
Arabian  poet,  with  which  the  monarch  was  delighted.  Zora- 
hayda  was  shy  and  timid,  smaller  than  her  sisters,  and  with 
a  beauty  of  that  tender,  beseeching  kind  which  looks  for 
fondness  and  protection.  She  was  little  fitted  to  command, 
like  her  elder  sister,  or  to  dazzle,  like  the  second,  but  was 
rather  formed  to  creep  to  the  bosom  of  manly  affection,  to 
nestle  within  it,  and  be  content.  She  drew  near  to  her  father, 
with  a  timid  and  almost  faltering  step,  and  would  have 
taken  his  hand  to  kiss  ;  but  on  looking  up  into  his  face,  and 
seeing  it  beaming  with  a  paternal  smile,  the  tenderness  of 
her  nature  broke  forth,  and  she  threw  herself  upon  his  neck. 

Mohamed  the  Left-handed  surveyed  his  blooming  daughters 
with  mingled  pride  and  perplexity,  for  while  he  exulted  in 
their  charms,  he  bethought  himself  of  the  prediction  of  the 
astrologers.  "  Three  daughters !  three  daughters  !  "  muttered 
he  repeatedly  to  himself,  "and  all  of  a  marriageable  age! 
Here's  tempting  Hesperian  fruit,  that  requires  a  dragon 
watch !  " 

He  prepared  for  his  return  to  Granada,  by  sending  heralds 
before  him,  commanding  every  one  to  keep  out  of  the  road 
by  which  he  was  to  pass,  and  that  all  doors  and  windows 
should  be  closed  at  the  approach  of  the  princesses.  This 
done,  he  set  forth,  escorted  by  a  troop  of  black  horsemen 
of  hideous  aspect,  and  clad  in  shining  armor. 

[242] 


THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

The  princesses  rode  beside  the  king,  closely  veiled,  on 
beautiful  white  palfreys,  with  velvet  caparisons,  embroidered 
with  gold,  and  sweeping  the  ground ;  the  bits  and  stirrups 
were  of  gold,  and  the  silken  bridles  adorned  with  pearls  and 
precious  stones.  The  palfreys  were  covered  with  little  silver 
bells,  which  made  the  most  musical  tinkling  as  they  ambled 
gently  along.  Woe  to  the  unlucky  wight,  however,  who 
lingered  in  the  way  when  he  heard  the  tinkling  of  these 
bells  !  —  the  guards  were  ordered  to  cut  him  down  without 
mercy. 

The  cavalcade  was  drawing  near  to  Granada,  when  it  over 
took,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Xenil,  a  small  body  of  Moorish 
soldiers  with  a  convoy  of  prisoners.  It  was  too  late  for  the 
soldiers  to  get  out  of  the  way,  so  they  threw  themselves  on 
their  faces  on  the  earth,  ordering  their  captives  to  do  the 
like.  Among  the  prisoners  were  the  three  identical  cavaliers 
whom  the  princesses  had  seen  from  the  pavilion.  They  either 
did  not  understand,  or  were  too  haughty  to  obey  the  order, 
and  remained  standing  and  gazing  upon  the*  cavalcade  as  it 
approached. 

The  ire  of  the  monarch  was  kindled  at  this  flagrant  defi 
ance  of  his  orders.  Drawing  his  cimeter,  and  pressing  for 
ward,  he  was  about  to  deal  a  left-handed  blow  that  might 
have  been  fatal  to  at  least  one  of  the  gazers,  when  the  prin 
cesses  crowded  round  him,  and  implored  mercy  for  the  pris 
oners  ;  even  the  timid  Zorahayda  forgot  her  shyness,  and 
became  eloquent  in  their  behalf.  Mohamed  paused,  with 
uplifted  cimeter,  when  the  captain  of  the  guard  threw  him 
self  at  his  feet.  "  Let  not  your  highness,"  said  he,  "  do  a 
deed  that  may  cause  great  scandal  throughout  the  kingdom. 
These  are  three  brave  and  noble  Spanish  knights,  who  have 

[243] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

been  taken  in  battle,  fighting  like  lions  ;  they  are  of  high 
birth,  and  may  bring  great  ransoms."  "  Enough  !  "  said  the 
king.  "  I  will  spare  their  lives,  but  punish  their  audacity  — 
let  them  be  taken  to  the  Vermilion  Towers,  and  put  to  hard 
labor." 

Mohamed  was  making  one  of  his  usual  left-handed  blunders. 
In  the  tumult  and  agitation  of  this  blustering  scene,  the  veils 
of  the  three  princesses  had  been  thrown  back,  and  the  radi 
ance  of  their  beauty  revealed  ;  and  in  prolonging  the  parley, 
the  king  had  given  that  beauty  time  to  have  its  full  effect. 
In  those  days  people  fell  in  love  much  more  suddenly  than 
at  present,  as  all  ancient  stories  make  manifest.  It  is  not  a 
matter  of  wonder,  therefore,  that  the  hearts  of  the  three  cava 
liers  were  completely  captured ;  especially  as  gratitude  was 
added  to  their  admiration.  It  is  a  little  singular,  however, 
though  no  less  certain,  that  each  of  them  was  enraptured 
with  a  several  beauty.  As  to  the  princesses,  they  were  more 
than  ever  struck  with  the  noble  demeanor  of  the  captives, 
and  cherished  iri  their  breasts  all  that  they  had  heard  of  their 
valor  and  noble  lineage. 

The  cavalcade  resumed  its  march  ;  the  three  princesses 
rode  pensively  along  on  their  tinkling  palfreys,  now  and  then 
stealing  a  glance  behind  in  search  of  the  Christian  captives, 
and  the  latter  were  conducted  to  their  allotted  prison  in  the 
Vermilion  Towers. 

The  residence  provided  for  the  princesses  was  one  of  the 
most  dainty  that  fancy  could  devise.  It  was  in  a  tower  some 
what  apart  from  the  main  palace  of  the  Alhambra,  though 
connected  with  it  by  the  wall  which  encircled  the  whole  sum 
mit  of  the  hill.  On  one  side  it  looked  into  the  interior  of  the 
fortress,  and  had,  at  its  foot,  a  small  garden  filled  with  the 

[244] 


THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

rarest  flowers.  On  the  other  side  it  overlooked  a  deep  em 
bowered  ravine  separating  the  grounds  of  the  Alhambra  from 
those  of  the  Generalife.  The  interior  of  the  tower  was  divided 
into  small  fairy  apartments,  beautifully  ornamented  in  the  light 
Arabian  style,  surrounding  a  lofty  hall,  the  vaulted  roof  of 
which  rose  almost  to  the  summit  of  the  tower.  The  walls 
and  ceilings  of  the  hall  were  adorned  with  arabesque  and 
fretwork,  sparkling  with  gold  and  with  brilliant  pencilling.  In 
the  centre  of  the  marble  pavement  was  an  alabaster  fountain, 
set  round  with  aromatic  shrubs  and  flowers,  and  throwing  up 
a  jet  of  water  that  cooled  the  whole  edifice  and  had  a  lulling 
sound.  Round  the  hall  were  suspended  cages  of  gold  and 
silver  wire,  containing  singing-birds  of  the  finest  plumage 
or  sweetest  note. 

The  princesses  had  been  represented  as  always  cheerful 
when  in  the'  castle  of  the  Salobrena ;  the  king  had  expected 
to  see  them  enraptured  with  the  Alhambra.  To  his  surprise, 
however,  they  began  to  pine,  and  grow  melancholy,  and  dis 
satisfied  with  everything  around  them.  The  flowers  yielded 
them  no  fragrance,  the  song  of  the  nightingale  disturbed  their 
night's  rest,  and  they  were  out  of  all  patience  with  the  alabaster 
fountain,  with  its  eternal  drop-drop  and  splash-splash,  from 
morning  till  night  and  from  night  till  morning. 

The  king,  who  was  somewhat  of  a  testy,  tyrannical  dispo 
sition,  took  this  at  first  in  high  dudgeon ;  but  he  reflected 
that  his  daughters  had  arrived  at  an  age  when  the  female 
mind  expands  and  its  desires  augment.  "  They  are  no  longer 
children,"  said  he  to  himself,  "they  are  women  grown,  and 
require  suitable  objects  to  interest  them."  He  put  in  requisi 
tion,  therefore,  all  the  dressmakers,  and  the  jewellers,  and  the 
artificers  in  gold  and  silver  throughout  the  Zacatin  of  Granada, 

[MS] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

and  the  princesses  were  overwhelmed  with  robes  of  silk,  and 
tissue,  and  brocade,  and  cashmere  shawls,  and  necklaces  of 
pearls  and  diamonds,  and  rings,  and  bracelets,  and  anklets, 
and  all  manner  of  precious  things. 

All,  however,  was  of  no  avail ;  the  princesses  continued 
pale  and  languid  in  the  midst  of  their  finery,  and  looked  like 
three  blighted  rose-buds,  drooping  from  one  stalk.  The  king 
was  at  his  wits'  end.  He  had  in  general  a  laudable  confi 
dence  in  his  own  judgment,  and  never  took  advice.  "  The 
whims  and  caprices  of  three  marriageable  damsels,  however, 
are  sufficient,"  said  he,  "to  puzzle  the  shrewdest  head."  So 
for  once  in  his  life  he  called  in  the  aid  of  counsel. 

The  person  to  whom  he  applied  was  the  experienced 
duenna. 

"  Kadiga,"  said  the  king,  "  I  know  you  to  be  one  of  the 
most  discreet  women  in  the  whole  world,  as  well  as  one  of 
the  most  trustworthy ;  for  these  reasons  I  have  always  con 
tinued  you  about  the  persons  of  my  daughters.  Fathers 
cannot  be  too  wary  in  whom  they  repose  such  confidence  ;  I 
now  wish  you  to  find  out  the  secret  malady  that  is  preying 
upon  "the  princesses,  and  to  devise  some  means  of  restoring 
them  to  health  and  cheerfulness." 

Kadiga  promised  implicit  obedience.  In  fact  she  knew 
more  of  the  malady  of  the  princesses  than  they  themselves. 
Shutting  herself  up  with  them,  however,  she  endeavored  to 
insinuate  herself  into  their  confidence. 

"  My  dear  children,  what  is  the  reason  you  are  so  dismal 
and  downcast  in  so  beautiful  a  place,  where  you  have  every 
thing  that  heart  can  wish  ?  " 

The  princesses  looked  vacantly  round  the  apartment,  and 
sighed. 


THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

"  What  more,  then,  would  you  have  ?  Shall  I  get  you  the 
wonderful  parrot  that  talks  all  languages,  and  is  the  delight 
of  Granada  ? " 

"  Odious !"  exclaimed  the  princess  Zayda.  "A  horrid, 
screaming  bird,  that  chatters  words  without  ideas  :  one  must 
be  without  brains  to  tolerate  such  a,  pest." 

"  Shall  I  send  for  a  monkey  from  the  rock  of  Gibraltar,  to 
divert  you  with  his  antics  ?  " 

"  A  monkey  !  faugh  !  "  cried  Zorayda  ;  "  the  detestable 
mimic  of  man.  I  hate  the  nauseous  animal." 

"  What  say  you  to  the  famous  black  singer  Casern,  from 
Morocco  ?  They  say  he  has  a  voice  as  fine  as  a  woman's." 

"  I  am  terrified  at  the  sight  of  these  black  slaves,"  said  the 
delicate  Zorahayda  ;  "  besides  I  have  lost  all  relish  for  music." 

"Ah!  my  child,  you  would  not  say  so,"  replied  the  old 
woman,  slyly,  "  had  you  heard  the  music  I  heard  last  eve 
ning,  from  the  three  Spanish  cavaliers  whom  we  met  on  our 
journey.  But  bless  me,  children !  What  is  the  matter  that 
you  blush  so  and  are  in  such  a  flutter  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  nothing,  good  mother  ;  pray  proceed." 

"  Well ;  as  I  was  passing  by  the  Vermilion  Towers  last 
evening,  I  saw  the  three  cavaliers  resting  after  their  day's 
labor.  One  was  playing  on  the  guitar,  so  gracefully,  and  the 
others  sang  by  turns  ;  and  they  did  it  in  such  style,  that  the 
very  guards  seemed  like  statues,  or  men  enchanted.  Allah 
forgive  me !  I  could  not  help  being  moved  at  hearing  the 
songs  of  my  native  country.  And  then  to  see  three  such 
noble  and  handsome  youths  in  chains  and  slavery !  " 

Here  the  kind-hearted  old  woman  could  not  restrain  her  tears. 

"  Perhaps,  mother,  you  could  manage  to  procure  us  a  sight 
of  these  cavaliers,"  said  Zayda. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"I  think,"  said  Zorayda,  "a  little  music  would  be  quite 
reviving." 

The  timid  Zorahayda  said  nothing,  but  threw  her  arms 
round  the  neck  of  Kadiga. 

"  Mercy  on  me !  "  exclaimed  the  discreet  old  woman, 
"  what  are  you  talking  of,  my  children  ?  Your  father  would 
be  the  death  of  us  all  if  he  heard  of  such  a  thing.  To  be 
sure,  these  cavaliers  are  evidently  well-bred  and  high-minded 
youths  ;  but  what  of  that  ?  they  are  the  enemies  of  our  faith, 
and  you  must  not  even  think  of  them  but  with  abhorrence." 

There  is  an  admirable  intrepidity  in  the  female  will,  par 
ticularly  when  about  the  marriageable  age,  which  is  not  to 
be  deterred  by  dangers  and  prohibitions.  The  princesses 
hung  round  their  old  duenna,  and  coaxed,  and  entreated, 
and  declared  that  a  refusal  would  break  their  hearts. 

What  could  she  do  ?  She  was  certainly  the  most  discreet 
old  woman  in  the  whole  world,  and  one  of  the  most  faithful 
servants  to  the  king ;  but  was  she  to  see  three  beautiful  prin 
cesses  break  their  hearts  for  the  mere  tinkling  of  a  guitar  ? 
Besides,  though  she  had  been  so  long  among  the  Moors, 
and  changed  her  faith  in  imitation  of  her  mistress,  like  a 
trusty  follower,  yet  she  was  a  Spaniard  born,  and  had  the 
lingerings  of  Christianity  in  her  heart.  So  she  set  about  to 
contrive  how  the  wish  of  the  princesses  might  be  gratified. 

The  Christian  captives,  confined  in  the  Vermilion  Towers, 
were  under  the  charge  of  a  big-whiskered,  broad-shouldered 
renegado,  called  Hussein  Baba,  who  was  reputed  to  have  a 
most  itching  palm.  She  went  to  him  privately,  and  slipping 
a  broad  piece  of  gold  into  his  hand,  "  Hussein  Baba,"  said 
she,  "  my  mistresses  the  three  princesses,  who  are  shut  up  in 
the  tower,  and  in  sad  want  of  amusement,  have  heard  of  the 


- 

• 


-  •. 


fl  ' 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

musical  talents  of  the  three  Spanish  cavaliers,  and  are  desir 
ous  of  hearing  a  specimen  of  their  skill.  I  am  sure  you  are 
too  kind-hearted  to  refuse  them  so  innocent  a  gratification." 

"  What !  and  to  have  my  head  set  grinning  over  the  gate 
of  my  own  tower !  for  that  would  be  the  reward,  if  the  king 
should  discover  it." 

"  No  danger  of  anything  of  the  kind  ;  the  affair  may  be 
managed  so  that  the  whim  of  the  princesses  may  be  gratified, 
and  their  father  be  never  the  wiser.  You  know  the  deep 
ravine  outside  of  the  walls  which  passes  immediately  below 
the  tower.  Put  the  three  Christians  to  work  there,  and  at 
the  intervals  of  their  labor,  let  them  play  and  sing,  as  if  for 
their  own  recreation.  In  this  way  the  princesses  will  be  able 
to  hear  them  from  the  windows  of  the  tower,  and  you  may 
be  sure  of  their  paying  well  for  your  compliance." 

As  the  good  old  woman  concluded  her  harangue,  she 
kindly  pressed  the  rough  hand  of  the  renegado,  and  left 
within  it  another  piece  of  gold. 

Her  eloquence  was  irresistible.  The  very  next  day  the 
three  cavaliers  were  put  to  work  in  the  ravine.  During  the 
noontide  heat,  when  their  fellow-laborers  were  sleeping  in 
the  shade,  and  the  guard  nodding  drowsily  at  his  post,  they 
seated  themselves  among  the  herbage  at  the  foot  of  the 
tower,  and  sang  a  Spanish  roundelay  to  the  accompaniment 
of  the  guitar. 

The  glen  was  deep,  the  tower  was  high,  but  their  voices 
rose  distinctly  in  the  stillness  of  the  summer  noon.  The 
princesses  listened  from  their  balcony  ;  they  had  been  taught 
the  Spanish  language  by  their  duenna,  and  were  moved  by 
the  tenderness  of  the  song.  The  discreet  Kadiga,  on  the 
contrary,  was  terribly  shocked.  "  Allah  preserve  us  !  "  cried 

[250] 


THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

she,  "  they  are  singing  a  love-ditty,  addressed  to  yourselves. 
Did  ever  mortal  hear  of  such  audacity  ?  I  will  run  to  the 
slave-master,  and  have  them  soundly  bastinadoed." 

"What!  bastinado  such  gallant  cavaliers,  and  for  singing  so 
charmingly!  "  The  three  beautiful  princesses  were  filled  with 
horror  at  the  idea.  With  all  her  virtuous  indignation,  the  good 
old  woman  was  of  a  placable  nature,  and  easily  appeased.  Be 
sides,  the  music  seemed  to  have  a  beneficial  effect  upon  her 
young  mistresses.  A  rosy  bloom  had  already  come  to  their 
cheeks,  and  their  eyes  began  to  sparkle.  She  made  no  further 
objection,  therefore,  to  the  amorous  ditty  of  the  cavaliers. 

When  it  was  finished,  the  princesses  remained  silent  for 
a  time ;  at  length  Zorayda  took  up  a  lute,  and  with  a  sweet, 
though  faint  and  trembling  voice,  warbled  a  little  Arabian 
air,  the  burden  of  which  was,  "  The  rose  is  concealed  among 
her  leaves,  but  she  listens  with  delight  to  the  song  of  the 
nightingale." 

From  this  time  forward  the  cavaliers  worked  almost  daily 
in  the  ravine.  The  considerate  Hussein  Baba  became  more 
and  more  indulgent,  and  daily  more  prone  to  sleep  at  his 
post.  For  some  time  a  vague  intercourse  was  kept  up  by 
popular  songs  and  romances,  which  in  some  measure  re 
sponded  to  each  other,  and  breathed  the  feelings  of  the 
parties.  By  degrees  the  princesses  showed  themselves  at  the 
balcony,  when  they  could  do  so  without  being  perceived  by 
the  guards.  They  conversed  with  the  cavaliers  also,  by  means 
of  flowers,  with  the  symbolical  language  of  which  they  were 
mutually  acquainted  ;  the  difficulties  of  their  intercourse  added 
to  its  charms,  and  strengthened  the  passion  they  had  so 
singularly  conceived ;  for  love  delights  to  struggle  with 
difficulties,  and  thrives  the  most  hardily  on  the  scantiest  soil. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  change  effected  in  the  looks  and  spirits  of  the  prin 
cesses  by  this  secret  intercourse,  surprised  and  gratified  the 
left-handed  king ;  but  no  one  was  more  elated  than  the 
discreet  Kadiga,  who  considered  it  all  owing  to  her  able 
management. 

At  length  there  was  an  interruption  in  this  telegraphic  cor 
respondence  ;  for  several  days  the  cavaliers  ceased  to  make 
their  appearance  in  the  glen.  The  princesses  looked  out  from 
the  tower  in  vain.  In  vain  they  stretched  their  swan-like 
necks  from  the  balcony  ;  in  vain  they  sang  like  captive  night 
ingales  in  their  cage  :  nothing  was  to  be  seen  of  their  Chris 
tian  lovers ;  not  a  note  responded  from  the  groves.  The 
discreet  Kadiga  sallied  forth  in  quest  of  intelligence,  and 
soon  returned  with  a  face  full  of  trouble.  "  Ah,  my  children !  " 
cried  she,  "  I  saw  what  all  this  would  come  to,  but  you  would 
have  your  way ;  you  may  now  hang  up  your  lutes  on  the  wil 
lows.  The  Spanish  cavaliers  are  ransomed  by  their  families ; 
they  are  down  in  Granada,  and  preparing  to  return  to  their 
native  country." 

The  three  beautiful  princesses  were  in  despair  at  the  tid 
ings.  Zayda  was  indignant  at  the  slight  put  upon  them,  in 
thus  being  deserted  without  a  parting  word.  Zorayda  wrung 
her  hands  and  cried,  and  looked  in  the  glass,  and  wiped  away 
her  tears,  and  cried  afresh.  The  gentle  Zorahayda  leaned 
over  the  balcony  and  wept  in  silence,  and  her  tears  fell  drop 
by  drop  among  the  flowers  of  the  bank,  where  the  faithless 
cavaliers  had  so  often  been  seated. 

The  discreet  Kadiga  did  all  in  her  power  to  soothe  their 
sorrow.  "Take  comfort,  my  children,"  said  she,  "this  is 
nothing  when  you  are  used  to  it.  This  is  the  way  of  the 
world.  Ah !  when  you  are  as  old  as  I  am,  you  will  know 


THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

how  to  value  these  men.  I  '11  warrant  these  cavaliers  have 
their  loves  among  the  Spanish  beauties  of  Cordova  and  Se 
ville,  and  will  soon  be  serenading  under  their  balconies,  and 
thinking  no  more  of  the  Moorish  beauties  in  the  Alhambra. 
Take  comfort,  therefore,  my  children,  and  drive  them  from 
your  hearts." 

The  comforting  words  of  the  discreet  Kadiga  only  redoubled 
the  distress  of  the  three  princesses,  and  for  two  days  they 
continued  inconsolable.  On  the  morning  of  the  third  the 
good  old  woman  entered  their  apartment,  all  ruffling  with 
indignation. 

"Who  would  have  believed  such  insolence  in  mortal  man! " 
exclaimed  she,  as  soon  as  she  could  find  words  to  express 
herself;  "but  I  am  rightly  served  for  having  connived  at 
this  deception  of  your  worthy  father.  Never  talk  more  to 
me  of  your  Spanish  cavaliers." 

"  Why,  what  has  happened,  good  Kadiga?"  exclaimed  the 
princesses  in  breathless  anxiety. 

"  What  has  happened  ? — treason  has  happened  !  or,  what 
is  almost  as  bad,  treason  has  been  proposed ;  and  to  me,  the 
most  faithful  of  subjects,  the  trustiest  of  duennas  !  Yes,  my 
children,  the  Spanish  cavaliers  have  dared  to  tamper  with 
me,  that  I  should  persuade  you  to  fly  with  them  to  Cordova, 
and  become  their  wives  !  " 

Here  the  excellent  old  woman  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands,  and  gave  way  to  a  violent  burst  of  grief  and  indigna 
tion.  The  three  beautiful  princesses  turned  pale  and  red, 
pale  and  red,  and  trembled,  and  looked  down,  and  cast  shy 
looks  at  each  other,  but  said  nothing.  Meantime  the  old 
woman  sat  rocking  backward  and  forward  in  violent  agita 
tion,  and  now  and  then  breaking  out  into  exclamations  : 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"That  ever  I  should  live  to  be  so  insulted!  —  I,  the  most 
faithful  of  servants  !  " 

At  length  the  eldest  princess,  who  had  most  spirit  and 
always  took  the  lead,  approached  her,  and  laying  her  hand 
upon  her  shoulder,  "Well,  mother,"  said  she,  "supposing 
we  were  willing  to  fly  with  these  Christian  cavaliers  —  is 
such  a  thing  possible  ?  " 

The  good  old  woman  paused  suddenly  in  her  grief,  look 
ing  up,  "Possible,"  echoed  she;  "to  be  sure  it  is  possible. 
Have  not  the  cavaliers  already  bribed  Hussein  Baba,  the 
renegade  captain  of  the  guard,  and  arranged  the  whole  plan  ? 
But  then,  to  think  of  deceiving  your  father!  your  father, 
who  has  placed  such  confidence  in  me !  "  Here  the  worthy 
woman  gave  way  to  a  fresh  burst  of  grief,  and  began  again 
to  rock  backward  and  forward,  and  to  wring  her  hands. 

"  But  our  father  has  never  placed  any  confidence  in  us," 
said  the  eldest  princess,  "  but  has  trusted  to  bolts  and  bars, 
and  treated  us  as  captives." 

"Why,  that  is  true  enough,"  replied  the  old  woman,  again 
pausing  in  her  grief ;  "he  has  indeed  treated  you  most  un 
reasonably,  keeping  you  shut  up  here,  to  waste  your  bloom 
in  a  moping  old  tower,  like  roses  left  to  wither  in  a  flower- 
jar.  But,  then,  to  fly  from  your  native  land  !  " 

"And  is  not  the  land  we  fly  to  the  native  land  of  our  mother, 
where  we  shall  live  in  freedom  ?  And  shall  we  not  each  have 
a  youthful  husband  in  exchange  for  a  severe  old  father  ?  " 

"Why,  that  again  is  all  very  true;  and  your  father,  I 
must  confess,  is  rather  tyrannical ;  but  what  then,"  relapsing 
into  her  grief,  "  would  you  leave  me  behind  to  bear  the 
brunt  of  his  vengeance  ?  " 

"  By  no  means,  my  good  Kadiga  ;  cannot  you  fly  with  us  ? " 

[254] 


THE    THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

"  Very  true,  my  child  ;  and  to  tell  the  truth,  when  I  talked 
the  matter  over  with  Hussein  Baba,  he  promised  to  take  care 
of  me,  if  I  would  accompany  you  in  your  flight ;  but  then, 
bethink  you,  my  children,  are  you  willing  to  renounce  the 
faith  of  your  father  ?  " 

"  The  Christian  faith  was  the  original  faith  of  our  mother," 
said  the  eldest  princess  ;  "  I  am  ready  to  embrace  it,  and  so, 
I  am  sure,  are  my  sisters." 

"  Right  again,"  exclaimed  the  old  woman,  brightening  up; 
"  it  was  the  original  faith  of  your  mother,  and  bitterly  did  she 
lament  on  her  death-bed  that  she  had  renounced  it.  I  promised 
her  then  to  take  care  of  your  souls,  and  I  rejoice  to  see  that 
they  are  now  in  a  fair  way  to  be  saved.  Yes,  my  children,  I 
too  was  born  a  Christian,  and  have  remained  a  Christian  in 
my  heart,  and  am  resolved  to  return  to  the  faith.  I  have 
talked  on  the  subject  with  Hussein  Baba,  who  is  a  Spaniard 
by  birth,  and  comes  from  a  place  not  far  from  my  native 
town.  He  is  equally  anxious  to  see  his  own  country,  and  to 
be  reconciled  to  the  Church ;  and  the  cavaliers 'have  promised 
that,  if  we  are  disposed  to  become  man  and  wife,  on  return 
ing  to  our  native  land,  they  will  provide  for  us  handsomely." 

In  a  word,  it  appeared  that  this  extremely  discreet  and 
provident  old  woman  had  consulted  with  the  cavaliers  and 
the  renegado,  and  had  concerted  the  whole  plan  of  escape. 
The  eldest  princess  immediately  assented  to  it,  and  her  ex 
ample,  ,as  usual,  determined  the  conduct  of  her  sisters.  It  is 
true,  the  youngest  hesitated,  for  she  was  gentle  and  timid  of 
soul,  and  there  was  a  struggle  in  her  bosom  between  filial 
feeling  and  youthful  passion  ;  the  latter,  however,  as  usual, 
gained  the  victory,  and  with  silent  tears  and  stifled  sighs 
she  prepared  herself  for  flight. 

[•SS] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  rugged  hill  on  which  the  Alhambra  is  built  was,  in 
old  times,  perforated  with  subterranean  passages  cut  through 
the  rock  and  leading  from  the  fortress  to  various  parts  of  the 
city  and  to  distant  sally-ports  on  the  banks  of  the  Darro  and 
the  Xenil.  They  had  been  constructed  at  different  times 
by  the  Moorish  kings  as  means  of  escape  from  sudden  insur 
rections,  or  of  secretly  issuing  forth  on  private  enterprises. 
Many  of  them  are  now  entirely  lost,  while  others  remain, 
partly  choked  with  rubbish,  and  partly  walled  up,  —  monu 
ments  of  the  jealous  precautions  and  warlike  stratagems  of 
the  Moorish  government.  By  one  of  these  passages  Hus 
sein  Baba  had  undertaken  to  conduct  the  princesses  to  a 
sally-port  beyond  the  walls  of  the  city,  where  the  cavaliers 
were  to  be  ready  with  fleet  steeds,  to  bear  the  whole  party 
over  the  borders. 

The  appointed  night  arrived  ;  the  tower  of  the  princesses 
had  been  locked  up  as  usual,  and  the  Alhambra  was  buried 
in  deep  sleep.  Towards  midnight  the  discreet  Kadiga  listened 
from  the  balcony  of  a  window  that  looked  into  the  garden. 
Hussein  Baba,  the  renegado,  was  already  below,  and  gave 
the  appointed  signal.  The  duenna  fastened  the  end  of  a 
ladder  of  ropes  to  the  balcony,  lowered  it  into  the  garden 
and  descended.  The  two  eldest  princesses  followed  her  with 
beating  hearts  ;  but  when  it  came  to  the  turn  of  the  youngest 
princess,  Zorahayda,  she  hesitated  and  trembled.  Several 
times  she  ventured  a  delicate  little  foot  upon  the  ladder,  and 
as  often  drew  it  back,  while  her  poor  little  heart  fluttered 
more  and  more  the  longer  she  delayed.  She  cast  a  wistful 
look  back  into  the  silken  chamber ;  she  had  lived  in  it,  to  be 
sure,  like  a  bird  in  a  cage  ;  but  within  it  she  was  secure ; 
who  could  tell  what  dangers  might  beset  her  should  she 


THE   THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

flutter  forth  into  the  wide  world  !  Now  she  bethought  her 
of  her  gallant  Christian  lover,  and  her  little  foot  was  instantly 
upon  the  ladder ;  and  anon  she  thought  of  her  father,  and 
shrank  back.  But  fruitless  is  the  attempt  to  describe  the 
conflict  'in  the  bosom  of  one  so  young  and  tender  and  loving, 
but  so  timid  and  so  ignorant  of  the  world. 

In  vain  her  sisters  implored,  the  duenna  scolded,  and  the 
renegado  blasphemed  beneath  the  balcony :  the  gentle  little 
Moorish  maid  stood  doubting  and  wavering  on  the  verge  of 
elopement ;  tempted  by  the  sweetness  of  the  sin,  but  terrified 
at  its  perils. 

Every  moment  increased  the  danger  of  discovery.  A 
distant  tramp  was  heard.  "  The  patrols  are  walking  their 
rounds,"  cried  the  renegado ;  "if  we  linger,  we  perish. 
Princess,  descend  instantly,  or  we  leave  you." 

Zorahayda  was  for  a  moment  in  fearful  agitation  ;  then 
loosening  the  ladder  of  ropes,  with  desperate  resolution  she 
flung  it  from  the  balcony. 

"It  is  decided!"  cried  she;  "flight  is  now  out  of  my 
power !  Allah  guide  and  bless  ye,  my  dear  sisters  !  " 

The  two  eldest  princesses  were  shocked  at  the  thoughts 
of  leaving  her  behind,  and  would  fain  have  lingered,  but  the 
patrol  was  advancing ;  the  renegado  was  furious,  and  they 
were  hurried  away  to  the  subterraneous  passage.  They  groped 
their  way  through  a  fearful  labyrinth,  cut  through  the  heart 
of  the  mountain,  and  succeeded  in  reaching,  undiscovered, 
an  iron  gate  that  opened  outside  of  the  walls.  The  Spanish 
cavaliers  were  waiting  to  receive  them,  disguised  as  Moorish 
soldiers  of  the  guard,  commanded  by  the  renegado. 

The  lover  of  Zorahayda  was  frantic  when  he  learned  that 
she  had  refused  to  leave  the  tower ;  but  there  was  no  time 

[257] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

to  waste  in  lamentations.  The  two  princesses  were  placed 
behind  their  lovers,  the  discreet  Kadiga  mounted  behind  the 
renegado,  and  they  all  set  off  at  a  round  pace  in  the  direction 
of  the  Pass  of  Lope,  which  leads  through  the  mountains 
towards  Cordova. 

They  had  not  proceeded  far  when  they  heard  the  noise  of 
drums  and  trumpets  from  the  battlements  of  the  Alhambra. 

"  Our  flight  is  discovered  !  "  said  the  renegado. 

"  We  have  fleet  steeds,  the  night  is  dark,  and  we  may 
distance  all  pursuit,"  replied  the  cavaliers. 

They  put  spurs  to  their  horses,  and  scoured  across  the 
Vega.  They  attained  the  foot  of  the  mountain  of  Elvira, 
which  stretches  like  a  promontory  into  the  plain.  The  rene 
gado  paused  and  listened.  "As  yet,"  said  he,  "there  is  no 
one  on  our  traces,  we  shall  make  good  our  escape  to  the 
mountains."  While  he  spoke,  a  light  blaze  sprang  up  on 
the  top  of  the  watch-tower  of  the  Alhambra. 

"  Confusion  !  "  cried  the  renegado,  "  that  bale  fire  will  put 
all  the  guards  of  the  passes  on  the  alert.  Away !  away ! 
Spur  like  mad, — there  is  no  time  to  be  lost." 

Away  they  dashed  —  the  clattering  of  their  horses'  hoofs 
echoed  from  rock  to  rock,  as  they  swept  along  the  road  that 
skirts  the  rocky  mountain  of  Elvira.  As  they  galloped  on, 
the  bale  fire  of  the  Alhambra  was  answered  in  every  direction ; 
light  after  light  blazed  on  the  atalayas,  or  watch-towers  of 
the  mountains. 

"  Forward  !  forward  !  "  cried  the  renegado,  with  many  an 
oath,  "to  the  bridge, — to  the  bridge,  before  the  alarm  has 
reached  there  !  " 

They  doubled  the  promontory  of  the  mountains,  and  arrived 
in  sight  of  the  famous  Bridge  of  Pinos,  that  crosses  a  rushing 

[*58] 


THE   THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

stream  often  dyed  with  Christian  and  Moslem  blood.  To 
their  confusion,  the  tower  on  the  bridge  blazed  with  lights 
and  glittered  with  armed  men.  The  renegado  pulled  up  his 
steed,  rose  in  his  stirrups,  and  looked  about  him  for  a 
moment ;  then  beckoning  to  the  cavaliers,  he  struck  off  from 
the  road,  skirted  the  river  for  some  distance,  and  dashed  into 
its  waters.  The  cavaliers  called  upon  the  princesses  to  cling 
to  them,  and  did  the  same.  They  were  borne  for  some  dis 
tance  down  the  rapid  current,  the  surges  roared  round  them, 
but  the  beautiful  princesses  clung  to  their  Christian  knights, 
and  never  uttered  a  complaint.  The  cavaliers  attained  the 
opposite  bank  in  safety,  and  were  conducted  by  the  renegado, 
by  rude  and  unfrequented  paths  and  wild  barmncos,  through 
the  heart  of  the  mountains,  so  as  to  avoid  all  the  regular 
passes.  In  a  word,  they  succeeded  in  reaching  the  ancient 
city  of  Cordova  ;  where  their  restoration  to  their  country  and 
friends  was  celebrated  with  great  rejoicings,  for  they  were  of 
the  noblest  families.  The  beautiful  princesses  were  forthwith 
received  into  the  bosom  of  the  Church,  and,  after  being  in 
all  due  form  made  regular  Christians,  were  rendered  happy 
wives. 

In  our  hurry  to  make  good  the  escape  of  the  princesses 
across  the  river,  and  up  the  mountains,  we  forgot  to  mention 
the  fate  of  the  discreet  Kadiga.  She  had  clung  like  a  cat  to 
Hussein  Baba  in  the  scamper  across  the  Vega,  screaming  at 
every  bound,  and  drawing  many  an  oath  from  the  whiskered 
renegado ;  but  when  he  prepared  to  plunge  his  steed  into 
the  river,  her  terror  knew  no  bounds.  "  Grasp  me  not  so 
tightly,"  cried  Hussein  Baba  ;  "  hold  on  by  my  belt  and  fear 
nothing."  She  held  firmly  with  both  hands  by  the  leathern 
belt  that  girded  the  broad-backed  renegado ;  but  when  he 

[259] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

halted  with  the  cavaliers  to  take  breath  on  the  mountain 
summit,  the  duenna  was  no  longer  to  be  seen. 

"  What  has  become  of  Kadiga  ?  "  cried  the  princesses 
in  alarm. 

"Allah  alone  knows!"  replied  the  renegado\  "  my  belt 
came  loose  when  in  the  midst  of  the  river,  and  Kadiga 
was  swept  with  it  down  the  stream.  The  will  of  Allah  be 
done !  but  it  was  an  embroidered  belt,  and  of  great  price." 

There  was  no  time  to  waste  in  idle  regrets ;  yet  bitterly 
did  the  princesses  bewail  the  loss  of  their  discreet  counsellor. 
That  excellent  old  woman,  however,  did  not  lose  more  than 
half  of  her  nine  lives  in  the  water ;  a  fisherman,  who  was 
drawing  his  nets  some  distance  down  the  stream,  brought 
her  to  land,  and  was  not  a  little  astonished  at  his  miraculous 
draught.  What  further  became  of  the  discreet  Kadiga,  the 
legend  does  not  mention ;  certain  it  is  that  she  evinced  her 
discretion  in  never  venturing  within  the  reach  of  Mohamed 
the  Left-handed. 

Almost  as  little  is  known  of  the  conduct  of  that  sagacious 
monarch  when  he  discovered  the  escape  of  his  daughters, 
and  the  deceit  practised  upon  him  by  the  most  faithful  of 
servants.  It  was  the  only  instance  in  which  he  had  called  in 
the  aid  of  counsel,  and  he  was  never  afterwards  known  to  be 
guilty  of  a  similar  weakness.  He  took  good  care,  however, 
to  guard  his  remaining  daughter,  who  had  no  disposition  to 
elope ;  it  is  thought,  indeed,  that  she  secretly  repented  hav 
ing  remained  behind :  now  and  then  she  was  seen  leaning 
on  the  battlements  of  the  tower,  and  looking  mournfully 
towards  the  mountains  in  the  direction  of  Cordova,  and 
sometimes  the  notes  of  her  lute  were  heard  accompanying 
plaintive  ditties,  in  which  she  was  said  to  lament  the  loss  of 

[260] 


THE   THREE    BEAUTIFUL    PRINCESSES 

her  sisters  and  her  lover,  and  to  bewail  her  solitary  life.  She 
died  young,  and,  according  to  popular  rumor,  was  buried  in 
a  vault  beneath  the  tower,  and  her  untimely  fate  has  given 
rise  to  more  than  one  traditionary  fable. 

The  following  legend,  which  seems  in  some  measure  to 
spring  out  of  the  foregoing  story,  is  too  closely  connected 
with  high  historic  names  to  be  entirely  doubted.  The  Count's 
daughter,  and  some  of  her  young  companions,  to  whom  it 
was  read  in  one  of  the  evening  tertullias,  thought  certain 
parts  of  it  had  much  appearance  of  reality ;  and  Dolores, 
who  was  much  more  versed  than  they  in  the  improbable 
truths  of  the  Alhambra,  believed  every  word  of  it. 


[261] 


LEGEND  OF  THE  ROSE  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA 

^||  NOR  some"  time  after  the  surrender  of  Granada  by  the 
M  Moors,  that  delightful  city  was  a  frequent  and  favorite 
jL  residence  of  the  Spanish  sovereigns,  until  they  were 
frightened  away  by  successive  shocks  of  earthquakes,  which 
toppled  down  various  houses,  and  made  the  old  Moslem 
towers  rock  to  their  foundation. 

Many,  many  years  then  rolled  away,  during  which  Granada 
was  rarely  honored  by  a  royal  guest.  The  palaces  of  the 
nobility  remained  silent  and  shut  up  ;  and  the  Alhambra, 
like  a  slighted  beauty,  sat  in  mournful  desolation  among  her 
neglected  gardens.  The  Tower  of  the  Infantas,  once  the 
residence  of  the  three  beautiful  Moorish  princesses,  partook 
of  the  general  desolation ;  the  spider  spun  her  web  athwart 
the  gilded  vault,  and  bats  and  owls  nestled  in  those  chambers 
that  had  been  graced  by  the  presence  of  Zayda,  Zorayda,  and 
Zorahayda.  The  neglect  of  this  tower  may  have  been  partly 


THE   ROSE   OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

owing  to  some  superstitious  notions  of  the  neighbors.  It  was 
rumored  that  the  spirit  of  the  youthful  Zorahayda,  who  had 
perished  in  that  tower,  was  often  seen  by  moonlight  seated 
beside  the  fountain  in  the  hall,  or  moaning  about  the  battle 
ments,  and  that  the  notes  of  her  silver  lute  would  be  heard 
at  midnight  by  wayfarers  passing  along  the  glen. 

At  length  the  city  of  Granada  was  once  more  welcomed 
by  the  royal  presence.  All  the  world  knows  that  Philip  V 
was  the  first  Bourbon  that  swayed  the  Spanish  sceptre.  All 
the  world  knows  that  he  married,  in  second  nuptials,  Eliza- 
betta  or  Isabella  (for  they  are  the  same),  the  beautiful  prin 
cess  of  Parma ;  and  all  the  world  knows  that  by  this  chain 
of  contingencies  a  French  prince  and  an  Italian  princess 
were  seated  together  on  the  Spanish  throne.  F*or  a  visit  of 
this  illustrious  pair,  the  Alhambra  was  repaired  and  fitted  up 
with  all  possible  expedition.  The  arrival  of  the  court  changed 
the  whole  aspect  of  the  lately  deserted  palace.  The  clangor 
of  drum  and  trumpet,  the  tramp  of  steed  about  the  avenues 
and  outer  court,  the  glitter  of  arms  and  display  of  banners 
about  barbican  and  battlement,  recalled  the  ancient  and  war 
like  glories  of  the  fortress.  A  softer  spirit,  however,  reigned 
within  the  royal  palace.  There  was  the  rustling  of  robes 
and  the  cautious  tread  and  murmuring  voice  of  reverential 
courtiers  about  the  ante-chambers,  a  loitering  of  pages  and 
maids  of  honor  about  the  gardens,  and  the  sound  of  music 
stealing  from  open  casements. 

Among  those  who  attended  in  the  train  of  the  monarchs 
was  a  favorite  page  of  the  queen,  named  Ruiz  de  Alarcon. 
To  say  that  he  was  a  favorite  page  of  the  queen  was  at  once 
to  speak  his  eulogium,  for  every  one  in  the  suite  of  the 
stately  Elizabetta  was  chosen  for  grace,  and  beauty,  and 

[263] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

accomplishments.  He  was  just  turned  of  eighteen,  light  and 
lithe  of  form,  and  graceful  as  a  young  Antinous.  To  the  queen 
he  was  all  deference  and  respect,  yet  he  was  at  heart  a  roguish 
stripling,  petted  and  spoiled  by  the  ladies  about  the  court. 

This  loitering  page  was  one  morning  rambling  about  the 
groves  of  the  Generalife,  which  overlook  the  grounds  of  the 
Alhambra.  He  had  taken  with  him  for  his  amusement  a 
favorite  gerfalcon  of  the  queen.  In  the  course  of  his  ram 
bles,  seeing  a  bird  rising  from  a  thicket,  he  unhooded  the 
hawk  and  let  him  fly.  The  falcon  towered  high  in  the  air, 
made  a  swoop  at  his  quarry,  but  missing  it,  soared  away,  re 
gardless  of  the  calls  of  the  page.  The  latter  followed  the 
truant  bird  with  his  eye,  in  its  capricious  flight,  until  he  saw 
it  alight  upon  the  battlements  of  a  remote  and  lonely  tower, 
in  the  outer  wall  of  the  Alhambra,  built  on  the  edge  of  a 
ravine  that  separated  the  royal  fortress  from  the  grounds  of 
the  Generalife.  It  was  in  fact  the  "Tower  of  the  Princesses." 

The  page  descended  into  the  ravine  and  approached  the 
tower,  but  it  had  no  entrance  from  the  glen,  and  its  lofty 
height  rendered  any  attempt  to  scale  it  fruitless.  Seeking 
one  of  the  gates  of  the  fortress,  therefore,  he  made  a  wide 
circuit  to  that  side  of  the  tower  facing  within  the  walls. 

A  small  garden,  enclosed  by  a  trellis-work  of  reeds  over 
hung  with  myrtle,  lay  before  the  tower.  Opening  a  wicket, 
the  page  passed  between  beds  of  flowers  and  thickets  of 
roses  to  the  door.  It  was  closed  and  bolted.  A  crevice  in 
the  door  gave  him  a  peep  into  the  interior.  There  was  a 
small  Moorish  hall  with  fretted  walls,  light  marble  columns, 
and  an  alabaster  fountain  surrounded  with  flowers.  In  the 
centre  hung  a  gilt  cage  containing  a  singing-bird  ;  beneath 
it,  on  a  chair,  lay  a  tortoise-shell  cat  among  reels  of  silk  and 

[264] 


THE    LITTLE    M  O  S  Q  U  E  —  A  L  H  A  M  B  R  A 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

other  articles  of  female  labor,  and  a  guitar  decorated  with 
ribbons  leaned  against  the  fountain. 

Ruiz  de  Alarcon  was  struck  with  these  traces  of  female 
taste  and  elegance  in  a  lonely  and,  as  he  had  supposed, 
deserted  tower.  They  reminded  him  of  the  tales  of  enchanted 
halls  current  in  the  Alhambra;  and  the  tortoise-shell  cat 
might  be  some  spell-bound  princess. 

He  knocked  gently  at  the  door.  A  beautiful  face  peeped 
out  from  a  little  window  above,  but  was  instantly  withdrawn. 
He  waited,  expecting  that  the  door  would  be  opened,  but  he 
waited  in  vain  ;  no  footstep  was  to  be  heard  within — all  was 
silent.  Had  his  senses  deceived  him,  or  was  this  beautiful 
apparition  the  fairy  of  the  tower?  He  knocked  again,  and 
more  loudly.  After  a  little  while  the  beaming  face  once 
more  peeped  forth ;  it  was  that  of  a  blooming  damsel  of 
fifteen. 

The  page  immediately  doffed  his  plumed  bonnet,  and 
entreated  in  the  most  courteous  accents  to  be  permitted  to 
ascend  the  tower  in  pursuit  of  his  falcon. 

"  I  dare  not  open  the  door,  Sefior,"  replied  the  little 
damsel,  blushing,  "  my  aunt  has  forbidden  it." 

"  I  do  beseech  you,  fair  maid  —  it  is  the  favorite  falcon 
of  the  queen.  I  dare  not  return  to  the  palace  without  it." 

"  Are  you  then  one  of  the  cavaliers  of  the  court  ?  " 

"  I  am,  fair  maid ;  but  I  shall  lose  the  queen's  favor  and 
my  place,  if  I  lose  this  hawk." 

"It  is  against  you  cavaliers  of  the  court  my  aunt  has 
charged  me  especially  to  bar  the  door." 

"  Against  wicked  cavaliers  doubtless,  but  I  am  none  of 
these,  but  a  simple,  harmless  page,  who  will  be  ruined  and 
undone  if  you  deny  me  this  small  request." 

[266] 


THE    ROSE    OF    THE   ALHAMBRA 

The  heart  of  the  little  damsel  was  touched  by  the  distress 
of  the  page.  It  was  a  thousand  pities  he  should  be  ruined 
for  the  want  of  so  trifling  a  boon.  Surely  too  he  could  not 
be  one  of  those  dangerous  beings  whom  her  aunt  had 
described  as  a  species  of  cannibal,  ever  on  the  prowl  to  make 
prey  of  thoughtless  damsels  ;  he  was  gentle  and  modest, 
and  stood  so  entreatingly  with  cap  in  hand,  and  looked 
so  charming. 

The  sly  page  saw  that  the  garrison  began  to  waver,  and 
redoubled  his  entreaties  in  such  moving  terms  that  it  was 
not  in  the  nature  of  mortal  maiden  to  deny  him  ;  so  the 
blushing  little  warden  of  the  tower  descended,  and  opened 
the  door  with  a  trembling  hand,  and  if  the  page  had  been 
charmed  by  a  mere  glimpse  of  her  countenance  from  the 
window,  he  was  ravished  by  the  full-length  portrait  now 
revealed  to  him. 

Her  Andalusian  bodice  and  trim  basquina  set  off  the 
round  but  delicate  symmetry  of  her  form,  which  was  as  yet 
scarce  verging  into  womanhood.  Her  glossy  hair  was  parted 
on  her  forehead  with  scrupulous  exactness,  and  decorated  with 
.a  fresh-plucked  rose,  according  to  the  universal  custom  of 
the  country.  It  is  true  her  complexion  was  tinged  by  the 
ardor  of  a  southern  sun,  but  it  served  to  give  richness  to  the 
mantling  bloom  of  her  cheek,  and  to  heighten  the  lustre  of 
her  melting  eyes. 

Ruiz  de  Alarcon  beheld  all  this  with  a  single  glance,  for  it 
became  him  not  to  tarry ;  he  merely  murmured  his  acknowl 
edgments,  and  then  bounded  lightly  up  the  spiral  staircase 
in  quest  of  his  falcon. 

He  soon  returned  with  the  truant  bird  upon  his  fist.  The 
damsel,  in  the  meantime,  had  seated  herself  by  the  fountain 

[267] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

in  the  hall,  and  was  winding  silk ;  but  in  her  agitation  she 
let  fall  the  reel  upon  the  pavement.  The  page  sprang  and 
picked  it  up,  then  dropping  gracefully  on  one  knee,  pre 
sented  it  to  her ;  but,  seizing  the  hand  extended  to  receive 
it,  imprinted  on  it  a  kiss  more  fervent  and  devout  than  he 
had  ever  imprinted  on  the  fair  hand  of  his  sovereign. 

"  SeTtor  !  "  exclaimed  the  damsel,  blushing  still  deeper  with 
confusion  and  surprise,  for  never  before  had  she  received 
such  a  salutation. 

The  modest  page  made  a  thousand  apologies,  assuring  her 
it  was  the  way  at  court  of  expressing  the  most  profound 
homage  and  respect. 

Her  anger,  if  anger  she  felt,  was  easily  pacified,  but  her 
agitation  and  embarrassment  continued,  and  she  sat  blushing 
deeper  and  deeper,  with  her  eyes  cast  down  upon  her  work, 
entangling  the  silk  which  she  attempted  to  wind. 

The  cunning  page  saw  the  confusion  in  the  opposite  camp, 
and  would  fain  have  profited  by  it,  but  the  fine  speeches  he 
would  have  uttered  died  upon  his  lips ;  his  attempts  at  gal 
lantry  were  awkward  and  ineffectual ;  and  to  his  surprise,  the 
adroit  page,  who  had  figured  with  such  grace  and  effrontery 
among  the  most  knowing  and  experienced  ladies  of  the 
court,  found  himself  awed  and  abashed  in  the  presence  of  a 
simple  damsel  of  fifteen. 

The  diffidence  of  the  page,  though  genuine,  was  short 
lived,  and  he  was  recovering  his  usual  ease  and  confidence, 
when  a  shrill  voice  was  heard  at  a  distance. 

"  My  aunt  is  returning  from  mass  !  "  cried  the  damsel  in 
affright ;  "  I  pray  you,  Senor,  depart." 

"  Not  until  you  grant  me  that  rose  from  your  hair  as  a 
remembrance." 


THE    ROSE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

She  hastily  untwisted  the  rose  from  her  raven  locks. 
"  Take  it,"  cried  she,  agitated  and  blushing,  "but  pray 
begone." 

The  page  took  the  rose,  and  at  the  same  time  covered 
with  kisses  the  fair  hand  that  gave  it.  Then,  placing  the 
flower  in  his  bonnet,  and  taking  the  falcon  upon  his  fist,  he 
bounded  off  through  the  garden,  bearing  away  with  him  the 
heart  of  the  gentle  Jacinta. 

When  the  vigilant  aunt  arrived  at  the  tower,  she  remarked 
the  agitation  of  her  niece,  and  an  air  of  confusion  in  the 
hall ;  but  a  word  of  explanation  sufficed.  "  A  gerfalcon  had 
pursued  his  prey  into  the  hall." 

"  Mercy  on  us  !  to  think  of  a  falcon  flying  into  the  tower. 
Did  ever  one  hear  of  so  saucy  a  hawk  ?  Why,  the  very  bird 
in  the  cage  is  not  safe !  " 

The  vigilant  Fredegonda  was  one  of  the  most  wary  of 
ancient  spinsters.  She  had  a  becoming  terror  and  distrust  of 
what  she  denominated  "the  opposite  sex,"  which  had  gradually 
increased  through  a  long  life  of  celibacy. 

The  niece  was  the  orphan  of  an  officer  who  had  fallen  in 
the  wars.  She  had  been  educated  in  a  convent,  and  had 
recently  been  transferred  from  her  sacred  asylum  to  the 
immediate  guardianship  of  her  aunt,  under  whose  over 
shadowing  care  she  vegetated  in  obscurity,  like  an  open 
ing  rose  blooming  beneath  a  brier.  Nor  indeed  is  this 
comparison  entirely  accidental ;  for,  to  tell  the  truth,  her 
fresh  and  dawning  beauty  had  caught  the  public  eye,  even 
in  her  seclusion,  and,  with  that  poetical  turn  common  to 
the  people  of  Andalusia,  the  peasantry  of  the  neighbor 
hood  had  given  her  the  appellation  of  "  the  Rose  of  the 
Alhambra." 

[269] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  wary  aunt  continued  to  keep  a  faithful  watch  over  her 
tempting  little  niece  as  long  as  the  court  continued  at  Granada, 
and  flattered  herself  that  her  vigilance  had  been  successful. 
It  is  true  the  good  lady  was  now  and  then  discomposed  by  the 
tinkling  of  guitars  and  chanting  of  love-ditties  from  the  moon 
lit  groves  beneath  the  tower ;  but  she  would  exhort  her  niece 
to  shut  her  ears  against  such  idle  minstrelsy,  assuring  her  that 
it  was  one  of  the  arts  of  the  opposite  sex,  by  which  simple 
maids  were  often  lured  to  their  undoing.  Alas  !  what  chance 
with  a  simple  maid  has  a  dry  lecture  against  a  moonlight 
serenade  ? 

At  length  King  Philip  cut  short  his  sojourn  at  Granada, 
and  suddenly  departed  with  all  his  train.  The  vigilant  Frede- 
gonda  watched  the  royal  pageant  as  it  issued  forth  from  the 
Gate  of  Justice  and  descended  the  great  avenue  leading  to 
the  city.  When  the  last  banner  disappeared  from  her  sight, 
she  returned  exulting  to  her  tower,  for  all  her  cares  were 
over.  To  her  surprise,  a  light  Arabian  steed  pawed  the 
ground  at  the  wicket-gate  of  the  garden ;  —  to  her  horror  she 
saw  through  the  thickets  of  roses  a  youth  in  gayly  embroid 
ered  dress,  at  the  feet  of  her  niece.  At  the  sounds  of  her 
footsteps  he  gave  a  tender  adieu,  bounded  lightly  over  the 
barrier  of  reeds  and  myrtles,  sprang  upon  his  horse,  and 
was  out  of  sight  in  an  instant. 

The  tender  Jacinta,  in  the  agony  of  her  grief,  lost  all 
thought  of  her  aunt's  displeasure.  Throwing  herself  into 
her  arms,  she  broke  forth  into  sobs  and  tears. 

"  Ay  de  mi  !  "  cried  she  ;  "  he  's  gone  !  he  's  gone  !  and 
I  shall  never  see  him  more !  " 

"  Gone  !  —  who  is  gone  ?  —  what  youth,  is  that  I  saw  at: 
your  feet  ?  " 

[270] 


THE    ROSE    OF    THE    ALHAMBK.A 

"A  queen's  page,  aunt,  who  came  to  bid  me  farewell." 

"  A  queen's  page,  child  !  "  echoed  the  vigilant  Fredegonda, 
faintly,  "and  when  did  you  become  acquainted  with  the  queen's 
page?" 

M  The  morning  that  the  gerfalcon  came  into  the  tower.  It 
was  the  queen's  gerfalcon,  and  he  came  in  pursuit  of  it." 

"  Ah  silly,  silly  girl !  know  that  there  are  no  gerfalcons 
half  so  dangerous  as  these  young  prankling  pages,  and  it  is 
precisely  such  simple  birds  as  thee  that  they  pounce  upon." 

Days,  weeks,  months,  elapsed,  and  nothing  more  was  heard 
of  the  page.  The  pomegranate  ripened,  the  vine  yielded  up 
its  fruit,  the  autumnal  rains  descended  in  torrents  from  the 
mountains  ;  the  Sierra  Nevada  became  covered  with  a  snowy 
mantle,  and  wintry  blasts  howled  through  the  halls  of  the 
Alhambra  —  still  he  came  not.  The  winter  passed  away. 
Again  the  genial  spring  burst  forth  with  song  and  blossom 
and  balmy  zephyr ;  the  snows  melted  from  the  mountains, 
until  none  remained  but  on  the  lofty  summit  of  Nevada, 
glistening  through  the  sultry  summer  air.  Still  nothing  was 
heard  of  the  forgetful  page. 

In  the  meantime  the  poor  little  Jacinta  grew  pale  and 
thoughtful.  Her  former  occupations  and  amusements  were 
abandoned,  her  silk  lay  entangled,  her  guitar  unstrung,  her 
flowers  were  neglected,  the  notes  of  her  bird  unheeded,  and 
her  eyes,  once  so  bright,  were  dimmed  with  secret  weeping. 
If  any  solitude  could  be  devised  to  foster  the  passion  of  a 
love-lorn  damsel  it  would  be  such  a  place  as  the  Alhambra, 
where  everything  seems  disposed  to  produce  tender  and  ro 
mantic  reveries.  It  is  a  very  paradise  for  lovers  ;  how  hard 
then  to  be  alone  in  such  a  paradise  —  and  not  merely  alone, 
but  forsaken  ! 


THE    ALHAM  BRA 

"  Alas,  silly  child !  "  would  the  staid  and  immaculate 
Fredegonda  say,  when  she  found  her  niece  in  one  of  her 
desponding  moods—  "  did  I  not  warn  thee  against  the  wiles 
and  deceptions  of  these  men?  What  couldst  thou  expect, 
too,  from  one  of  a  haughty  and  aspiring  family  —  thou  an 
orphan,  the  descendant  of  a  fallen  and  impoverished  line  ? 
Be  assured,  if  the  youth  were  true,  his  father,  who  is  one  of 
the  proudest  nobles  about  the  court,  would  prohibit  his  union 
with  one  so  humble  and  portionless  as  thou.  Pluck  up  thy 
resolution  therefore,  and  drive  these  idle  notions  from  thy 
mind." 

The  words  of  the  immaculate  Fredegonda  only  served 
to  increase  the  melancholy  of  her  niece,  but  she  sought 
to  indulge  it  in  private.  At  a  late  hour  one  midsummer 
night,  after  her  aunt  had  retired  to  rest,  she  remained  alone 
in  the  hall  of  the  tower,  seated  beside  the  alabaster  foun 
tain.  It  was  here  that  the  faithless  page  had  first  knelt 
and  kissed  her  hand ;  it  was  here  that  he  had  often  vowed 
eternal  fidelity.  The  poor  little  damsel's  heart  was  over 
laden  with  sad  and  tender  recollections,  her  tears  began  to 
flow,  and  slowly  fell  drop  by  drop  into  the  fountain.  By 
degrees  the  crystal  water  became  agitated,  and  —  bubble  — 
bubble  —  bubble  —  boiled  up  and  was  tossed  about,  until 
a  female  figure,  richly  clad  in  Moorish  robes,  slowly  rose 
to  view. 

Jacinta  was  so  frightened  that  she  fled  from  the  hall  and 
did  not  venture  to  return.  The  next  morning  she  related 
what  she  had  seen  to  her  aunt,  but  the  good  lady  treated  it 
as  a  fantasy  of  her  troubled  mind,  or  supposed  she  had  fallen 
asleep  and  dreamt  beside  the  fountain.  "  Thou  hast  been 
thinking  of  the  story  of  the  three  Moorish  princesses  that 

[272] 


THE    ROSE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

once  inhabited  this  tower,"  continued  she,  "and  it  has 
entered  into  thy  dreams." 

"  What  story,  aunt  ?    I  know  nothing  of  it." 

"  Thou  hast  certainly  heard  of  the  three  princesses,  Zayda, 
Zorayda,  and  Zorahayda,  who  were  confined  in  this  tower  by 
the  king  their  father,  and  agreed  to  fly  with  three  Christian 
cavaliers.  The  two  first  accomplished  their  escape,  but  the 
third  failed  in  her  resolution,  and,  it  is  said,  died  in  this 
tower." 

"  I  now  recollect  to  have  heard  of  it,"  said  Jacinta,  "and 
to  have  wept  over  the  fate  of  the  gentle  Zorahayda." 

"Thou  mayest  well  weep  over  her  fate,"  continued  the  aunt, 
"  for  the  lover  of  Zorahayda  was  thy  ancestor.  He  long  be 
moaned  his  Moorish  love ;  but  time  cured  him  of  his  grief,  and 
he  married  a  Spanish  lady,  from  whom  thou  art  descended." 

Jacinta  ruminated  over  these  words.  "  That  which  I  have 
seen  is  no  fantasy  of  the  brain,"  said  she  to  herself,  "  I  am 
confident.  If  indeed  it  be  the  spirit  of  the  gentle  Zorahayda, 
which  I  have  heard  lingers  about  this  tower,  of  what  should 
I  be  afraid  ?  I  '11  watch  by  the  fountain  to-night  —  perhaps 
the  visit  will  be  repeated." 

Towards  midnight,  when  everything  was  quiet,  she  again 
took  her  seat  in  the  hall.  As  the  bell  in  the  distant  watch- 
tower  of  the  Alhambra  struck  the  midnight  hour,  the  foun 
tain  was  again  agitated  ;  and  bubble  —  bubble  —  bubble  —  it 
tossed  about  the  waters  until  the  Moorish  female  again  rose 
to  view.  She  was  young  and  beautiful ;  her  dress  was  rich 
with  jewels,  and  in  her  hand  she  held  a  silver  lute.  Jacinta 
trembled  and  was  faint,  but  was  reassured  by  the  soft  and 
plaintive  voice  of  the  apparition,  and  the  sweet  expression 
of  her  pale,  melancholy  countenance. 

[273] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"Daughter  of  mortality,"  said  she,  "what  aileth  thee  ? 
Why  do  thy  tears  trouble  my  fountain,  and  thy  sighs  and 
plaints  disturb  the  quiet  watches  of  the  night  ?  " 

"  I  weep  because  of  the  faithlessness  of  man,  and  I  bemoan 
my  solitary  and  forsaken  state." 

"  Take  comfort ;  thy  sorrows  may  yet  have  an  end.  Thou 
beholdest  a  Moorish  princess,  who,  like  thee,  was  unhappy 
in  her  love.  A  Christian  knight,  thy  ancestor,  won  my  heart, 
and  would  have  borne  me  to  his  native  land  and  to  the  bosom 
of  his  church.  I  was  a  convert  in  my  heart,  but  I  lacked 
courage  equal  to  my  faith,  and  lingered  till  too  late.  For  this 
the  evil  genii  are  permitted  to  have  power  over  me,  and  I 
remain  enchanted  in  this  tower  until  some  pure  Christian 
will  deign  to  break  the  magic  spell.  Wilt  thou  undertake 
the  task?" 

"  I  will,"  replied  the  damsel,  trembling. 

"  Come  hither,  then,  and  fear  not ;  dip  thy  hand  in  the 
fountain,  sprinkle  the  water  over  me,  and  baptize  me  after 
the  manner  of  thy  faith  ;  so  shall  the  enchantment  be  dis 
pelled,  and  my  troubled  spirit  have  repose." 

The  damsel  advanced  with  faltering  steps,  dipped  her  hand 
in  the  fountain,  collected  water  in  the  palm,  and  sprinkled  it 
over  the  pale  face  of  the  phantom. 

The  latter  smiled  with  ineffable  benignity.  She  dropped 
her  silver  lute  at  the  feet  of  Jacinta,  crossed  her  white  arms 
upon  her  bosom,  and  melted  from  sight,  so  that  it  seemed 
merely  as  if  a  shower  of  dewdrops  had  fallen  into  the  fountain. 

Jacinta  retired  from  the  hall  filled  with  awe  and  wonder. 
She  scarcely  closed  her  eyes  that  night ;  but  when  she  awoke 
at  daybreak  out  of  a  troubled  slumber,  the  whole  appeared  to 
her  like  a  distempered  dream.  On  descending  into  the  hall, 

[274] 


THE    ROSE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

however,  the  truth  of  the  vision  was  established,  for  beside 
the  fountain  she  beheld  the  silver  lute  glittering  in  the 
morning  sunshine. 

She  hastened  to  her  aunt,  to  relate  all  that  had  befallen 
her,  and  called  her  to  behold  the  lute  as  a  testimonial  of 
the  reality  of  her  story.  If  the  good  lady  had  any  lingering 
doubts,  they  were  removed  when  Jacinta  touched  the  instru 
ment,  for  she  drew  forth  such  ravishing  tones  as  to  thaw 
even  the  frigid  bosom  of  the  immaculate  Fredegonda,  that 
region  of  eternal  winter,  into  a  genial  flow.  Nothing  but 
supernatural  melody  could  have  produced  such  an  effect. 

The  extraordinary  power  of  the  lute  became  every  day 
more  and  more  apparent.  The  wayfarer  passing  by  the  tower 
was  detained,  and,  as  it  were,  spell-bound  in  breathless  ecstasy. 
The  very  birds  gathered  in  the  neighboring  trees,  and  hushing 
their  own  strains,  listened  in  charmed  silence. 

Rumor  soon  spread  the  news  abroad.  The  inhabitants  of 
Granada  thronged  to  the  Alhambra  to  catch  a  few  notes 
of  the  transcendent  music  that  floated  about  the  Tower  of 
Las  Infantas. 

The  lovely  little  minstrel  was  at  length  drawn  forth  from 
her  retreat.  The  rich  and  powerful  of  the  land  contended 
who  should  entertain  and  do  honor  to  her ;  or  rather,  who 
should  secure  the  charms  of  her  lute  to  draw  fashionable 
throngs  to  their  saloons.  Wherever  she  went  her  vigilant 
aunt  kept  a  dragon  watch  at  her  elbow,  awing  the  throngs 
of  impassioned  admirers  who  hung  in  raptures  on  her  strains. 
The  report  of  her  wonderful  powers  spread  from  city  to  city. 
Malaga,  Seville,  Cordova,  all  became  successively  mad  on 
the  theme  ;  nothing  was  talked  of  throughout  Andalusia  but 
the  beautiful  minstrel  of  the  Alhambra.  How  could  it  be 

[»7S] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

otherwise  among  a  people  so  musical  and  gallant  as  the 
Andalusians,  when  the  lute  was  magical  in  its  powers,  and 
the  minstrel  inspired  by  love  ! 

While  all  Andalusia  was  thus  music  mad,  a  different  mood 
prevailed  at  the  court  of  Spain.  Philip  V,  as  is  well  known, 
was  a  miserable  hypochondriac,  and  subject  to  all  kinds  of 
fancies.  Sometimes  he  would  keep  to  his  bed  for  weeks 
together,  groaning  under  imaginary  complaints.  At  other 
times  he  would  insist  upon  abdicating  his  throne,  to  the  great 
annoyance  of  his  royal  spouse,  who  had  a  strong  relish  for 
the  splendors  of  a  court  and  the  glories  .of  a  crown,  and 
guided  the  sceptre  of  her  imbecile  lord  with  an  expert  and 
steady  hand. 

Nothing  was  found  to  be  so  efficacious  in*  dispelling  the 
royal  megrims  as  the  power  of  music ;  the  queen  took  care, 
therefore,  to  have  the  best  performers,  both  vocal  and  in 
strumental,  at  hand,  and  retained  the  famous  Italian  singer 
Farinelli  about  the  court  as  a  kind  of  royal  physician. 

At  the  moment  we  treat  of,  however,  a  freak  had  come 
over  the  mind  of  this  sapient  and  illustrious  Bourbon  that 
surpassed  all  former  vagaries.  After  a  long  spell  of  imaginary 
illness,  which  set  all  the  strains  of  Farinelli  and  the  consulta 
tions  of  a  whole  orchestra  of  court  fiddlers  at  defiance,  the 
monarch  fairly,  in  idea,  gave  up  the  ghost,  and  considered 
himself  absolutely  dead. 

This  would  have  been  harmless  enough,  and  even  con 
venient  both  to  his  queen  and  courtiers,  had  he  been  content 
to  remain  in  the  quietude  befitting  a  dead  man  ;  but  to  their 
annoyance  he  insisted  upon  having  the  funeral  ceremonies 
performed  over  him,  and,  to  their  inexpressible  perplexity, 
began  to  grow  impatient,  and  to  revile  bitterly  at  them  for 


THE    ROSE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

negligence  and  disrespect,  in  leaving  him  unburied.  What 
was  to  be  done  ?  To  disobey  the  king's  positive  commands 
was  monstrous  in  the  eyes  of  the  obsequious  courtiers  of  a 
punctilious  court  —  but  to  obey  him,  and  bury  him  alive, 
would  be  downright  regicide ! 

In  the  midst  of  this  fearful  dilemma  a  rumor  reached  the 
court  of  the  female  minstrel  who  was  turning  the  brains  of 
all  Andalusia.  The  queen  despatched  missions  in  all  haste 
to  summon  her  to  St.  Ildefonso,  where  the  court  at  that  time 
resided. 

Within  a  few  days,  as  the  queen  with  her  maids  of  honor 
was  walking  in  those  stately  gardens,  intended,  with  their 
avenues  and  terraces  and  fountains,  to  eclipse  the  glories  of 
Versailles,  the  far-famed  minstrel  was  conducted  into  her 
presence.  The  imperial  Elizabetta  gazed  with  surprise  at  the 
youthful  and  unpretending  appearance  of  the  little  being  that 
had  set  the  world  madding.  She  was  in  her  picturesque 
Andalusian  dress,  her  silver  lute  in  hand,  and  stood  with 
modest  and  downcast  eyes,  but  with  a  simplicity  and  fresh 
ness  of  beauty  that  still  bespoke  her  "the  Rose  of  the 
Alhambra." 

As  usual  she  was  accompanied  by  the  ever-vigilant  Frede- 
gonda,  who  gave  the  whole  history  of  her  parentage  and 
descent  to  the  inquiring  queen.  If  the  stately  Elizabetta  had 
been  interested  by  the  appearance  of  Jacinta,  she  was  still 
more  pleased  when  she  learnt  that  she  was  of  a  meritorius 
though  impoverished  line,  and  that  her  father  had  bravely 
fallen  in  the  service  of  the  crown.  "  If  thy  powers  equal  thy 
renown,"  said  she,  "and  thou  canst  cast  forth  this  evil  spirit 
that  possesses  thy  sovereign,  thy  fortunes  shall  henceforth 
be  my  care,  and  honors  and  wealth  attend  thee." 

[*77l 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

Impatient  to  make  trial  of  her  skill,  she  led  the  way  at 
•once  to  the  apartment  of  the  moody  monarch. 

Jacinta  followed  with  downcast  eyes  through  files  of  guards 
and  crowds  of  courtiers.  They  arrived  at  length  at  a  great 
chamber  hung  with  black.  The  windows  were  closed  to 
exclude  the  light  of  day ;  a  number  of  yellow  wax  tapers  in 
silver  sconces  diffused  a  lugubrious  light,  and  dimly  revealed 
the  figures  of  mutes  in  mourning  dresses,  and  courtiers  who 
glided  about  with  noiseless  step  and  woe-begone  visage.  In 
the  midst  of  a  funeral  bed  or  bier,  his  hands  folded  on  his 
breast,  and  the  tip  of  his  nose  just  visible,  lay  extended  this 
would-be-buried  monarch. 

The  queen  entered  the  chamber  in  silence,  and  pointing 
to  a  footstool  in  an  obscure  corner,  beckoned  to  Jacinta  to 
sit  down  and  commence. 

At  first  she  touched  her  lute  with  a  faltering  hand,  but 
gathering  confidence  and  animation  as  she  proceeded,  drew 
forth  such  soft  aerial  harmony,  that  all  present  could  scarce 
believe  it  mortal.  As  to  the  monarch,  who  had  already  con 
sidered  himself  in  the  world  of  spirits,  he  set  it  down  for 
some  angelic  melody  or  the  music  of  the  spheres.  By  degrees 
the  theme  was  varied,  and  the  voice  of  the  minstrel  accom 
panied  the  instrument.  She  poured  forth  one  of  the  legendary 
ballads  treating  of  the  ancient  glories  of  the  Alhambra  and 
the  achievements  of  the  Moors.  Her  whole  soul  entered  into 
the  theme,  for  with  the  recollections  of  the  Alhambra  was 
associated  the  story  of  her  love.  The  funeral-chamber  re 
sounded  with  the  animating  strain.  It  entered  into  the  gloomy 
heart  of  the  monarch.  He  raised  his  head  and  gazed  around  : 
he  sat  up  on  his  couch,  his  eye  began  to  kindle  —  at  length, 
leaping  upon  the  floor,  he  called  for  sword  and  buckler. 

[278] 


THE    ROSE    OF    THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  triumph  of  music,  or  rather  of  the  enchanted  lute, 
was  complete ;  the  demon  of  melancholy  was  cast  forth ; 
and,  as  it  were,  a  dead  man  brought  to  life.  The  windows 
of  the  apartment  were  thrown  open ;  the  glorious  effulgence 
of  Spanish  sunshine  burst  into  the  late  lugubrious  chamber ; 
all  eyes  sought  the  lovely  enchantress,  but  the  lute  had  fallen 
from  her  hand,  she  had  sunk  upon  the  earth,  and  the  next 
moment  was  clasped  to  the  bosom  of  Ruiz  de  Alarcon. 

The  nuptials  of  the  happy  couple  were  celebrated  soon 
afterwards  with  great  splendor,  and  the  Rose  of  the  Alham- 
bra  became  the  ornament  and  delight  of  the  court.  "  But 
hold  —  not  so  fast"  —  I  hear  the  reader  exclaim;  "this  is 
jumping  to  the  end  of  a  story  at  a  furious  rate  !  First  let  us 
know  how  Ruiz  de  Alarcon  managed  to  account  to  Jacinta 
for  his  long  neglect  ?  "  Nothing  more  easy  ;  the  venerable, 
time-honored  excuse,  the  opposition  to  his  wishes  by  a  proud, 
pragmatical  old  father ;  besides,  young  people  who  really  like 
one  another  soon  come  to  an  amicable  understanding,  and 
bury  all  past  grievances  when  once  they  meet. 

But  how  was  the  proud,  pragmatical  old  father  reconciled 
to  the  match  ? 

Oh !  as  to  that,  his  scruples  were  easily  overcome  by 
a  word  or  two  from  the  queen,  especially  as  dignities  and 
rewards  were  showered  upon  the  blooming  favorite  of  royalty. 
Besides,  the  lute  of  Jacinta,  you  know,  possessed  a  magic 
power,  and  could  control  the  most  stubborn  head  and  hardest 
breast. 

And  what  came  of  the  enchanted  lute  ? 

Oh,  that  is  the  most  curious  matter  of  all,  and  plainly 
proves  the  truth  of  the  whole  story.  That  lute  remained  for 
some  time  in  the  family,  but  was  purloined  and  carried  off> 

[279] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

as  was  supposed,  by  the  great  singer  Farinelli,  in  pure  jeal 
ousy.  At  his  death  it  passed  into  other  hands  in  Italy,  who 
were  ignorant  of  its  mystic  powers,  and  melting  down  the 
silver,  transferred  the  strings  to  an  old  Cremona  riddle.  The 
strings  still  retain  something  of  their  magic  virtues.  A  word 
in  the  reader's  ear,  but  let  it  go  no  further :  that  fiddle  is  now 
bewitching  the  whole  world,  —  it  is  the  fiddle  of  Paganini ! 


[280] 


-•  • 


THE  VETERAN 

MONG  the  curious  acquaintances  I  made  in  my  ram 
bles  about  the  fortress,  was  a  brave  and  battered  old 
colonel  of  Invalids,  who  was  nestled  like  a  hawk  in 
one  of  the  Moorish  towers.  His  history,  which  he  was  fond 
of  telling,  was  a  tissue  of  those  adventures,  mishaps,  and 
vicissitudes  that  render  the  life  of  almost  every  Spaniard 
of  note  as  varied  and  whimsical  as  the  pages  of  Gil  Bias. 

He  was  in  America  at  twelve  years  of  age,  and  reckoned 
among  the  most  signal  and  fortunate  events  of  his  life,  his 
having  seen  General  Washington.  Since  then  he  had  taken 
a  part  in  all  the  wars  of  his  country ;  he  could  speak  experi 
mentally  of  most  of  the  prisons  and  dungeons  of  the  Penin 
sula  ;  had  been  lamed  of  one  leg,  crippled  in  his  hands,  and 
so  cut  up  and  carbonadoed  that  he  was  a  kind  of  walking 
monument  of  the  troubles  of  Spain,  on  which  there  was  a 
scar  for  every  battle  and  broil,  as  every  year  of  captivity  was 
notched  upon  the  tree  of  Robinson  Crusoe.  The  greatest 


THE    AL HAM BRA 

misfortune  of  the  brave  old  cavalier,  however,  appeared  to 
have  been  his  having  commanded  at  Malaga  during  a  time 
of  peril  and  confusion,  and  been  made  a  general  by  the  in 
habitants,  to  protect  them  from  the  invasion  of  the  French. 
This  had  entailed  upon  him  a  number  of  just  claims  upon 
government,  that  I  feared  would  employ  him  until  his  dying 
day  in  writing  and  printing  petitions  and  memorials,  to  the 
great  disquiet  of  his  mind,  exhaustion  of  his  purse,  and  pen 
ance  of  his  friends ;  not  one  of  whom  could  visit  him  with 
out  having  to  listen  to  a  mortal  document  of  half  an  hour  in 
length,  and  to  carry  away  half  a  dozen  pamphlets  in  his 
pocket.  This,  however,  is  the  case  throughout  Spain  ;  every 
where  you  meet  with  some  worthy  wight  brooding  in  a  corner, 
and  nursing  up  some  pet  grievance  and  cherished  wrong. 
Besides,  a  Spaniard  who  has  a  lawsuit,  or  a  claim  upon  gov 
ernment,  may  be  considered  as  furnished  with  employment 
for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

I  visited  the  veteran  in  his  quarters  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  Torre  del  Vino,  or  Wine  Tower.  His  room  was  small 
but  snug,  and  commanded  a  beautiful  view  of  the  Vega.  It 
was  arranged  with  a  soldier's  precision.  Three  muskets  and 
a  brace  of  pistols,  all  bright  and  shining,  were  suspended 
against  the  wall,  with  a  sabre  and  a  cane  hanging  side  by 
side,  and  above  them  two  cocked  hats,  one  for  parade,  and 
one  for  ordinary  use.  A  small  shelf,  containing  some  half 
dozen  books,  formed  his  library,  one  of  which,  a  little  old 
mouldy  volume  of  philosophical  maxims,  was  his  favorite 
reading.  This  he  thumbed  and  pondered  over  day  by  day ; 
applying  every  maxim  to  his  own  particular  case,  provided 
it  had  a  little  tinge  of  wholesome  bitterness,  and  treated  of 
the  injustice  of  the  world. 

[282] 


THE    VETERAN 

Yet  he  was  social  and  kind-hearted,  and  provided  he  could 
be  diverted  from  his  wrongs  and  his  philosophy,  was  an  enter 
taining  companion.  I  like  these  old  weather-beaten  sons  of 
fortune,  and  enjoy  their  rough  campaigning  anecdotes.  In 
the  course  of  my  visits  to  the  one  in  question,  I  learnt  some 
curious  facts  about  an  old  military  commander  of  the  fortress, 
who  seems  to  have  resembled  him  in  some  respects,  and  to 
have  had  similar  fortunes  in  the  wars.  These  particulars  have 
been  augmented  by  inquiries  among  some  of  the  old  inhab 
itants  of  the  place,  particularly  the  father  of  Mateo  Ximenes, 
of  whose  traditional  stories  the  worthy  I  am  about  to  introduce 
to  the  reader  was  a  favorite  hero. 


THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE  NOTARY 

IN    FORMER   times    there  ruled,    as    governor  of   the 
Alhambra,  a  doughty  old  cavalier,  who,  from  having 
lost  one   arm   in   the  wars,   was   commonly  known   by 
the  name  of   El   Gobernador  Manco,    or   "the  one-armed 
governor."    He  in  fact  prided  himself  upon  being  an  old 
soldier,  wore  his  moustaches  curled  up  to  his  eyes,  a  pair  of 
campaigning  boots,  and  a  toledo  as  long  as  a  spit,  with  his 
pocket-handkerchief  in  the  basket-hilt. 

He  was,  moreover,  exceedingly  proud  and  punctilious,  and 
tenacious  of  all  his  privileges  and  dignities.  Under  his  sway 
the  immunities  of  the  Alhambra,  as  a  royal  residence  and 
domain,  were  rigidly  exacted.  No  one  was  permitted  to  enter 
the  fortress  with  fire-arms,  or  even  with  a  sword  or  staff, 
unless  he  were  of  a  certain  rank ;  and  every  horseman  was 
obliged  to  dismount  at  the  gate,  and  lead  his  horse  by  the 


THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE  NOTARY 

bridle.  Now  as  the  hill  of  the  Alhambra  rises  from  the  very 
midst  of  the  city  of  Granada,  being,  as  it  were,  an  excrescence 
of  the  capital,  it  must  at  all  times  be  somewhat  irksome  to 
the  captain-general,  who  commands  the  province,  to  have  thus 
an  imperium  in  imperio,  a  petty  independent  post  in  the  very 
centre  of  his  domains.  It  was  rendered  the  more  galling,  in 
the  present  instance,  from  the  irritable  jealousy  of  the  old 
governor,  that  took  fire  on  the  least  question  of  authority 
and  jurisdiction  ;  and  from  the  loose  vagrant  character  of 
the  people  who  had  gradually  nestled  themselves  within  the 
fortress,  as  in  a  sanctuary,  and  thence  carried  on  a  system 
of  roguery  and  depredation  at  the  expense  of  the  honest 
inhabitants  of  the  city. 

Thus  there  was  a  perpetual  feud  and  heart-burning  be 
tween  the  captain-general  and  the  governor,  the  more  virulent 
on  the  part  of  the  latter,  inasmuch  as  the  smallest  of  two 
neighboring  potentates  is  always  the  most  captious  about 
his  dignity.  The  stately  palace  of  the  captain-general  stood 
in  the  Plaza  Nueva,  immediately  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  of 
the  Alhambra ;  and  here  was  always  a  bustle  and  parade  of 
guards,  and  domestics,  and  city  functionaries.  A  beetling 
bastion  of  the  fortress  overlooked  the  palace  and  public  square 
in  front  of  it ;  and  on  this  bastion  the  old  governor  would 
occasionally  strut  backwards  and  forwards,  with  his  Toledo 
girded  by  his  side,  keeping  a  wary  eye  down  upon  his  rival, 
like  a  hawk  reconnoitring  his  quarry  from  his  nest  in  a 
dry  tree. 

Whenever  he  descended  into  the  city,  it  was  in  grand 
parade  ;  on  horseback,  surrounded  by  his  guards  ;  or  in  his 
state  coach,  an  ancient  and  unwieldy  Spanish  edifice  of 
carved  timber  and  gilt  leather,  drawn  by  eight  mules,  with 

085] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

running  footmen,  outriders,  and  lackeys  ;  on  which  occasions 
he  flattered  himself  he  impressed  every  beholder  with  awe 
and  admiration  as  vicegerent  of  the  king ;  though  the  wits 
of  Granada,  particularly  those  who  loitered  about  the  palace 
of  the  captain-general,  were  apt  to  sneer  at  his  petty  parade, 
and,  in  allusion  to  the  vagrant  character  of  his  subjects,  to 
greet  him  with  the  appellation  of  "  the  king  of  the  beggars." 
One  of  the  most  fruitful  sources  of  dispute  between  these 
two  doughty  rivals  was  the  right  claimed  by  the  governor  to 
have  all  things  passed  free  of  duty  through  the  city  that  were 
intended  for  the  use  of  himself  or  his  garrison.  By  degrees 
this  privilege  had  given  rise  to  extensive  smuggling.  A  nest 
of  contrabandistas  took  up  their  abode  in  the  hovels  of  the 
fortress  and  the  numerous  caves  in  its  vicinity,  and  drove 
a  thriving  business  under  the  connivance  of  the  soldiers  of 
the  garrison. 

The  vigilance  of  the  captain-general  was  aroused.  He  con 
sulted  his  legal  adviser  and  factotum,  a  shrewd,  meddlesome 
escribano,  or  notary,  who  rejoiced  in  an  opportunity  of  per 
plexing  the  old  potentate  of  the  Alhambra,  and  involving  him 
in  a  maze  of  legal  subtleties.  He  advised  the  captain-general 
to  insist  upon  the  right  of  examining  every  convoy  passing 
through  the  gates  of  his  city,  and  penned  a  long  letter  for 
him  in  vindication  of  the  right.  Governor  Manco  was  a 
straightforward  cut-and-thrust  old  soldier,  who  hated  an 
escribano  worse  than  the  devil,  and  this  one  in  particular 
worse  than  all  other  escribanos. 

"  What !  "  said  he,  curling  up  his  moustaches  fiercely, 
"  does  the  captain-general  set  his  man  of  the  pen  to  practise 
confusions  upon  me  ?  I  '11  let  him  see  an  old  soldier  is  not 
to  be  baffled  by  schoolcraft." 

[286] 


THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE  NOTARY 

He  seized  his  pen  and  scrawled  a  short  letter  in  a  crabbed 
hand,  in  which,  without  deigning  to  enter  into  argument,  he 
insisted  on  the  right  of  transit  free  of  search,  and  denounced 
vengeance  on  any  custom-house  officer  who  should  lay  his 
unhallowed  hand  on  any  convoy  protected  by  the  flag  of  the 
Alhambra.  While  this  question  was  agitated  between  the 
two  pragmatical  potentates,  it  so  happened  that  a  mule  laden 
with  supplies  for  the  fortress  arrived  one  day  at  the  gate  of 
Xenil,  by  which  it  was  to  traverse  a  suburb  of  the  city  on 
its  way  to  the  Alhambra.  The  convoy  was  headed  by  a  testy 
old  corporal,  who  had  long  served  under  the  governor,  and 
was  a  man  after  his  own  heart ;  as  rusty  and  stanch  as  an 
old  Toledo  blade. 

As  they  approached  the  gate  of  the  city,  the  corporal  placed 
the  banner  of  the  Alhambra  on  the  pack-saddle  of  the  mule, 
and  drawing  himself  up  to  a  perfect  perpendicular,  advanced 
with  his  head  dressed  to  the  front,  but  with  the  wary  side- 
glance  of  a  cur  passing  through  hostile  ground  and  ready 
for  a  snap  and  a  snarl. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  "  said  the  sentinel  at  the  gate. 

"  Soldier  of  the  Alhambra !  "  said  the  corporal,  without 
turning  his  head. 

"  What  have  you  in  charge  ?  " 

"  Provisions  for  the  garrison." 

"  Proceed." 

The  corporal  marched  straight  forward,  followed  by  the 
convoy,  but  had  not  advanced  many  paces  before  a  posse  of 
custom-house  officers  rushed  out  of  a  small  toll* house. 

"  Hallo  there !  "  cried  the  leader.  "  Muleteer,  halt,  and 
open  those  packages." 

The  corporal  wheeled  round  and  drew  himself  up  in  battle 

[287] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

array.  "  Respect  the  flag  of  the  Alhambra,"  said  he  ;  "  these 
things  are  for  the  governor." 

"  Kfigo  for  the  governor  and  afigo  for  his  flag.  Muleteer, 
halt,  I  say." 

"  Stop  the  convoy  at  your  peril !  "  cried  the  corporal,  cock- 
ing  his  musket.  "  Muleteer,  proceed." 

The  muleteer  gave  his  beast  a  hearty  thwack  ;  the  custom 
house  officer  sprang  forward  and  seized  the  halter  ;  whereupon 
the  corporal  levelled  his  piece  and  shot  him  dead. 

The  street  was  immediately  in  an  uproar. 

The  old  corporal  was  seized,  and  after  undergoing  sundry 
kicks,  and  cuffs,  and  cudgellings,  which  are  generally  given 
impromptu  by  the  mob  in  Spain  as  a  foretaste  of  the  after 
penalties  of  the  law,  he  was  loaded  with  irons  and  conducted 
to  the  city  prison,  while  his  comrades  were  permitted  to  pro 
ceed  with  the  convoy,  after  it  had  been  well  rummaged,  to 
the  Alhambra. 

The  old  governor  was  in  a  towering  passion  when  he  heard 
of  this  insult  to  his  flag  and  capture  of  his  corporal.  For  a 
time  he  stormed  about  the  Moorish  halls,  and  vapored  about 
the  bastions,  and  looked  down  fire  and  sword  upon  the  palace 
of  the  captain-general.  Having  vented  the  first  ebullition  of 
his  wrath,  he  despatched  a  message  demanding  the  surrender 
of  the  corporal,  as  to  him  alone  belonged  the  right  of  sitting 
in  judgment  on  the  offences  of  those  under  his  command. 
The  captain-general,  aided  by  the  pen  of  the  delighted  escri- 
bano,  replied  at  great  length,  arguing  that,  as  the  offence  had 
been  committed  within  the  walls  of  his  city,  and  against  one  of 
his  civil  officers,  it  was  clearly  within  his  proper  jurisdiction. 

The  governor  rejoined  by  a  repetition  of  his  demand  ;  the 
captain-general  gave  a  sur-rejoinder  of  still  greater  length 

[=88] 


THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE  NOTARY 

and  legal  acumen ;  the  governor  became  hotter  and  more 
peremptory  in  his  demands,  and  the  captain-general  cooler 
and  more  copious  in  his  replies ;  until  the  old  lion-hearted 
soldier  absolutely  roared  with  fury  at  being  thus  entangled 
in  the  meshes  of  legal  controversy. 

While  the  subtle  escribano  was  thus  amusing  himself  at 
the  expense  of  the  governor,  he  was  conducting  the  trial  of 
the  corporal,  who,  mewed  up  in  a  narrow  dungeon  of  the 
prison,  had  merely  a  small  grated  window  at  which  to  show  his 
iron-bound  visage  and  receive  the  consolations  of  his  friends. 

A  mountain  of  written  testimony  was  diligently  heaped  up, 
according  to  Spanish  form,  by  the  indefatigable  escribano  ; 
the  corporal  was  completely  overwhelmed  by  it.  He  was 
convicted  of  murder,  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged. 

It  was  in  vain  the  governor  sent 'down  remonstrance  and 
menace  from  the  Alhambra.  The  fatal  day  was  at  hand,  and 
the  corporal  was  put  in  capilla,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  chapel 
of  the  prison,  as  is  always  done  with  culprits  the  day  before 
execution,  that  they  may  meditate  on  their  approaching  end 
and  repent  them  of  their  sins. 

Seeing  things  drawing  to  extremity,  the  old  governor 
determined  to  attend  to  the  affair  in  person.  For  this  purpose 
he  ordered  out  his  carriage  of  state,  and,  surrounded  by  his 
guards,  rumbled  down  the  avenue  of  the  Alhambra  into  the 
city.  Driving  to  the  house  of  the  escribano,  he  summoned 
him  to  the  portal. 

The  eye  of  the  old  governor  gleamed  like  a  coal  at  behold 
ing  the  smirking  man  of  the  law  advancing  with  an  air  of 
exultation. 

"  What  is  this  I  hear,"  cried  he,  "  that  you  are  about  to  put 
to  death  one  of  my  soldiers  ?  " 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"  All  according  to  law  —  all  in  strict  form  of  justice,"  said 
the  self-sufficient  escribano,  chuckling  and  rubbing  his  hands  ; 
"  I  can  show  your  Excellency  the  written  testimony  in  the  case." 

"  Fetch  it  hither,"  said  the  governor.  The  escribano  bustled 
into  his  office,  delighted  with  having  another  opportunity  of 
displaying  his  ingenuity  at  the  expense  of  the  hard-headed 
veteran.  He  returned  with  a  satchel  full  of  papers,  and  began 
to  read  a  long  deposition  with  professional  volubility.  By  this 
time  a  crowd  had  collected,  listening  with  outstretched  necks 
and  gaping  mouths. 

"  Prithee,  man,  get  into  the  carriage,  out  of  this  pestilent 
throng,  that  I  may  the  better  hear  thee,"  said  the  governor. 

The  escribano  entered  the  carriage,  when,  in  a  twinkling, 
the  door  was  closed,  the  coachman  smacked  his  whip,  — 
mules,  carriage,  guards,  and  all  dashed  off  at  a  thundering 
rate,  leaving  the  crowd  in  gaping  wonderment ;  nor  did  the 
governor  pause  until  he  had  lodged  his  prey  in  one  of  the 
strongest  dungeons  of  the  Alhambra. 

He  then  sent  down  a  flag  of  truce  in  military  style,  pro 
posing  a  cartel,  or  exchange  of  prisoners,  —  the  corporal  for 
the  notary.  The  pride  of  the  captain-general  was  piqued  ; 
he  returned  a  contemptuous  refusal,  and  forthwith  caused  a 
gallows,  tall  and  strong,  to  be  erected  in  the  centre  of  the 
Plaza  Nueva  for  the  execution  of  the  corporal. 

"  Oho !  is  that  the  game  ?  "  said  Governor  Manco.  He 
gave  orders,  and  immediately  a  gibbet  was  reared  on  the  verge 
of  the  great  beetling  bastion  that  overlooked  the  Plaza. 
"  Now,"  said  he,  in  a  message  to  the  captain-general,  "  hang 
my  soldier  when  you  please  ;  but  at  the  same  time  that  he 
is  swung  off  in  the  square,  look  up  to  see  your  escribano 
dangling  against  the  sky." 

[290] 


THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE  NOTARY 

The  captain-general  was  inflexible ;  troops  were  paraded 
in  the  square  ;  the  drums  beat,  the  bell  tolled.  An  immense 
multitude  of  amateurs  gathered  together  to  behold  the  exe 
cution.  On  the  other  hand,  the  governor  paraded  his  garri 
son  on  the  bastion,  and  tolled  the  funeral  dirge  of  the  notary 
from  the  Torre  de  la  Campana,  or  Tower  of  the  Bell. 

The  notary's  wife  pressed  through  the  crowd,  with  a  whole 
progeny  of  little  embryo  escribanos  at  her  heels,  and  throw 
ing  herself  at  the  feet  of  the  captain-general,  implored  him 
not  to  sacrifice  the  life  of  her  husband,  and  the  welfare  of 
herself  and  her  numerous  little  ones,  to  a  point  of  pride  ;  "  for 
you  know  the  old  governor  too  well,"  said  she,  "  to  doubt  that 
he  will  put  his  threat  into  execution,  if  you  hang  the  soldier." 

The  captain-general  was  overpowered  by  her  tears  and 
lamentations,  and  the  clamors  of  her  callow  brood.  The  corpo 
ral  was  sent  up  to  the  Alhambra,  under  a  guard,  in  his  gallows 
garb,  like  a  hooded  friar,  but  with  head  erect  and  a  face  of 
iron.  The  escribano  was  demanded  in  exchange,  according 
to  the  cartel.  The  once  bustling  and  self-sufficient  man  of 
the  law  was  drawn  forth  from  his  dungeon  more  dead  than 
alive.  All  his  flippancy  and  conceit  had  evaporated  ;  his  hair, 
it  is  said,  had  nearly  turned  gray  with  affright,  and  he  had 
a  downcast,  dogged  look,  as  if  he  still  felt  the  halter  round 
his  neck. 

The  old  governor  stuck  his  one  arm  akimbo,  and  for  a 
moment  surveyed  him  with  an  iron  smile.  "  Henceforth,  my 
friend,"  said  he,  "  moderate  your  zeal  in  hurrying  others  to 
the  gallows ;  be  not  too  certain  of  your  safety,  even  though 
you  should  have  the  law  on  your  side ;  and  above  all,  take 
care  how  you  play  off  your  schoolcraft  another  time  upon  an 
old  soldier." 


GOVERNOR  MANGO  AND  THE  SOLDIER 

"HILE  Governor  Manco,  or  the  "one-armed," 
kept  up  a  show  of  military  state  in  the  Alham- 
bra,  he  became  nettled  at  the  reproaches  contin 
ually  cast  upon  his  fortress,  of  being  a  nestling-place  of 
rogues  and  contrabandist  as.  On  a  sudden,  the  old  poten 
tate  determined  on  reform,  and  setting  vigorously  to  work, 
ejected  whole  nests  of  vagabonds  out  of  the  fortress  and 
the  gypsy  caves  with  which  the  surrounding  hills  are  honey 
combed.  He  sent  out  soldiers,  also,  to  patrol  the  avenues 
and  footpaths,  with  orders  to  take  up  all  suspicious  persons. 
One  bright  summer  morning  a  patrol,  consisting  of  the 
testy  old  corporal  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  affair 
of  the  notary,  a  trumpeter,  and  two  privates,  was  seated  un 
der  the  garden-wall  of  the  Generalife,  beside  the  road  which 
leads  down  from  the  Mountain  of  the  Sun,  when  they  heard 

[292] 


GOVERNOR    MANGO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

the  tramp  of  a  horse,  and  a  male  voice  singing  in  rough  though 
not  unmusical  tones  an  old  Castilian  campaigning-song. 

Presently  they  beheld  a  sturdy,  sunburnt  fellow,  clad  in  the 
ragged  garb  of  a  foot-soldier,  leading  a  powerful  Arabian 
horse  caparisoned  in  the  ancient  Morisco  fashion. 

Astonished  at  the  sight  of  a  strange  soldier  descending, 
steed  in  hand,  from  that  solitary  mountain,  the  corporal  stepped 
forth  and  challenged  him. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  " 

"  A  friend." 

"  Who  and  what  are  you  ?  " 

"  A  poor  soldier  just  from  the  wars,  with  a  cracked  crown 
and  empty  purse  for  a  reward." 

By  this  time  they  were  enabled  to  view  him  more  narrowly. 
He  had  a  black  patch  across  his  forehead,  which,  with  a 
grizzled  beard,  added  to  a  certain  dare-devil  cast  of  counte 
nance,  while  a  slight  squint  threw  into  the  whole  an  occa 
sional  gleam  of  roguish  good-humor. 

Having  answered  the  questions  of  the  patrol,  the  soldier 
seemed  to  consider  himself  entitled  to  make  others  in  return. 
"  May  I  ask,"  said  he,  "  what  city  is  that  which  I  see  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill  ?  " 

"  What  city  !  "  cried  the  trumpeter  ;  "  come,  that 's  too 
bad.  Here  's  a  fellow  lurking  about  the  Mountain  of  the 
Sun,  and  demands  the  name  of  the  great  city  of  Granada ! " 

11  Granada  !  can  it  be  possible  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  not !  "  rejoined  the  trumpeter ;  "  and  perhaps  you 
have  no  idea  that  yonder  are  the  towers  of  the  Alhambra." 

"Son  of  a  trumpet,"  replied  the  stranger,  "  do  not  trifle 
with  me  ;  if  this  be  indeed  the  Alhambra,  I  have  some  strange 
matters  to  reveal  to  the  governor." 

[293] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

"You  will  have  an  opportunity,"  said  the  corporal,  "for 
we  mean  to  take  you  before  him."  By  this  time  the  trump 
eter  had  seized  the  bridle  of  the  steed,  the  two  privates  had 
each  secured  an  arm  of  the  soldier,  the  corporal  put  himself 
in  front,  gave  the  word,  "Forward  —  march!"  and  away 
they  marched  for  the  Alhambra. 

The  sight  of  a  ragged  foot-soldier  and  a  fine  Arabian  horse, 
brought  in  captive  by  the  patrol,  attracted  the  attention  of  all 
the  idlers  of  the  fortress,  and  of  those  gossip  groups  that 
generally  assemble  about  wells  and  fountains  at  early  dawn. 
The  wheel  of  the  cistern  paused  in  its  rotations,  and  the  slip 
shod  servant-maid  stood  gaping,  with  pitcher  in  hand,  as  the 
corporal  passed  by  with  his  prize.  A  motley  train  gradually 
gathered  in  the  rear  of  the  escort. 

Knowing  nods  and  winks  and  conjectures  passed  from  one 
to  another.  "  It  is  a  deserter,"  said  one  ;  "  A  contrabandista" 
said  another;  "A  bandolero"  said  a  third;  —  until  it  was 
affirmed  that  a  captain  of  a  desperate  band  of  robbers  had 
been  captured  by  the  prowess  of  the  corporal  and  his  patrol. 
"  Well,  well,"  said  the  old  cronies,  one  to  another,  "  captain 
or  not,  let  him  get  out  of  the  grasp  of  old  Governor  Manco 
if  he  can,  though  he  is  but  one-handed." 

Governor  Manco  was  seated  in  one  of  the  inner  halls  of 
the  Alhambra,  taking  his  morning's  cup  of  chocolate.  A  de 
mure,  dark-eyed  damsel  of  Malaga,  the  daughter  of  his  house 
keeper,  was  attending  upon  him.  The  world  hinted  that  the 
damsel,  who,  with  all  her  demureness,  was  a  sly  buxom  bag 
gage,  had  found  out  a  soft  spot  in  the  iron  heart  of  the  old 
governor,  and  held  complete  control  over  him.  When  word 
was  brought  that  a  suspicious  stranger  had  been  taken  lurk 
ing  about  the  fortress,  and  was  actually  in  the  lower  court,  in 

[294] 


GOVERNOR    MANGO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

durance  of  the  corporal,  waiting  the  pleasure  of  his  Excellency, 
the  pride  and  stateliness  of  office  swelled  the  bosom  of  the 
governor.  Giving  back  his  chocolate-cup  into  the  hands  of  the 
demure  damsel,  he  called  for  his  basket-hilted  sword,  girded 
it  to  his  side,  twirled  up  his  moustaches,  took  his  seat  in  a 
large  high-backed  chair,  assumed  a  bitter  and  forbidding  as 
pect,  and  ordered  the  prisoner  into  his  presence.  The  sol 
dier  was  brought  in,  still  closely  pinioned  by  his  captors,  and 
guarded  by  the  corporal.  He  maintained,  however,  a  reso 
lute,  self-confident  air,  and  returned  the  sharp,  scrutinizing 
look  of  the  governor  with  an  easy  squint,  which  by  no  means 
pleased  the  punctilious  old  potentate. 

"Well,  culprit,"  said  the  governor,  after  he  had  regarded 
him  for  a  moment  in  silence,  "  what  have  you  to  say  for 
yourself  —  who  are  you?" 

"  A  soldier,  just  from  the  wars,  who  has  brought  away 
nothing  but  scars  and  bruises." 

"  A  soldier  —  humph  —  a  foot-soldier  by  your  garb.  I  un 
derstand  you  have  a  fine  Arabian  horse.  I  presume  you  brought 
him  too  from  the  wars,  besides  your  scars  and  bruises." 

"  May  it  please  your  Excellency,  I  have  something  strange 
to  tell  about  that  horse.  Indeed  I  have  one  of  the  most  won 
derful  things  to  relate.  Something  too  that  concerns  the 
security  of  this  fortress,  indeed  of  all  Granada.  But  it  is  a 
matter  to  be  imparted  only  to  your  private  ear,  or  in  presence 
of  such  only  as  are  in  your  confidence." 

The  governor  considered  for  a  moment,  and  then  directed 
the  corporal  and  his  men  to  withdraw,  but  to  post  themselves 
outside  of  the  door,  and  be  ready  at  a  call.  "  This  damsel," 
nodding  towards  the  handmaid,  who  had  loitered  with  an 
air  of  great  curiosity,  "this  damsel  is  of  great  secrecy  and 

[•9S] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

discretion,  and  to  be  trusted  with  anything."  When  all  the 
rest  had  withdrawn,  the  soldier  commenced  his  story.  He 
was  a  fluent,  smooth-tongued  varlet,  and  had  a  command  of 
language  above  his  apparent  rank. 

"  May  it  please  your  Excellency,"  said  he,  "I  am,  as  I 
before  observed,  a  soldier,  and  have  seen  some  hard  service, 
but  my  term  of  enlistment  being  expired,  I  was  discharged, 
not  long  since,  from  the  army  at  Valladolid,  and  set  out  on 
foot  for  my  native  village  in  Andalusia.  Yesterday  evening 
the  sun  went  down  as  I  was  traversing  a  great  dry  plain  of 
Old  Castile." 

"  Hold  !  "  cried  the  governor,  "  what  is  this  you  say  ?  Old 
Castile  is  some  two  or  three  hundred  miles  from  this." 

"  Even  so,"  replied  the  soldier,  coolly,  "  I  told  your  Ex 
cellency  I  had  strange  things  to  relate  ;  but  not  more  strange 
than  true,  as  your  Excellency  will  find,  if  you  will  deign  me 
a  patient  hearing." 

"  Proceed,  culprit,"  said  the  governor,  twirling  up  his 
moustaches. 

"  As  the  sun  went  down,"  continued  the  soldier,  "  I  cast 
my  eyes  about  in  search  of  quarters  for  the  night,  but  as  far 
as  my  sight  could  reach  there  were  no  signs  of  habitation.  I 
saw  that  I  should  have  to  make  my  bed  on  the  naked  plain, 
with  my  knapsack  for  a  pillow ;  but  your  Excellency  is  an 
old  soldier,  and  knows  that  to  one  who  has  been  in  the  wars, 
such  a  night's  lodging  is  no  great  hardship." 

The  governor  nodded  assent,  as  he  drew  his  pocket- 
handkerchief  out  of  the  basket-hilt  to  drive  away  a  fly  that 
buzzed  about  his  nose. 

"  Well,  to  make  a  long  story  short,"  continued  the  soldier, 
"  I  trudged  forward  for  several  miles  until  I  came  to  a  bridge 


GOVERNOR    MANGO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

over  a  deep  ravine,  through  which  ran  a  little  thread  of  water, 
almost  dried  up  by  the  summer  heat.  At  one  end  of  the 
bridge  was  a  Moorish  tower,  the  upper  end  all  in  ruins,  but 
a  vault  in  the  foundation  quite  entire.  Here,  thinks  I,  is  a 
good  place  to  make  a  halt ;  so  I  went  down  to  the  stream, 
and  took  a  hearty  drink,  for  the  water  was  pure  and  sweet, 
and  I  was  parched  with  thirst ;  then,  opening  my  wallet,  I 
took  out  an  onion  and  a  few  crusts,  which  were  all  my  pro 
visions,  and  seating  myself  on  a  stone  on  the  margin  of  the 
stream,  began  to  make  my  supper,  —  intending  afterwards  to 
quarter  myself  for  the  night  in  the  vault  of  the  tower ;  and 
capital  quarters  they  would  have  been  for  a  campaigner  just 
from  the  wars,  as  your  Excellency,  who  is  an  old  soldier, 
may  suppose." 

"  I  have  put  up  gladly  with  worse  in  my  time,"  said  the 
governor,  returning  his  pocket-handkerchief  into  the  hilt  of 
his  sword. 

"  While  I  was  quietly  crunching  my  crust,"  pursued  the 
soldier,  "  I  heard  something  stir  within  the  vault ;  I  listened 
—  it  was  the  tramp  of  a  horse.  By  and  by  a  man  came  forth 
from  a  door  in  the  foundation  of  the  tower,  close  by  the  water's 
edge,  leading  a  powerful  horse  by  .the  bridle.  I  could  not  well 
make  out  what  he  was,  by  the  starlight.  It  had  a  suspicious 
look  to  be  lurking  among  the  ruins  of  a  tower,  in  that  wild 
solitary  place.  He  might  be  a  mere  wayfarer,  like  myself ; 
he  might  be  a  contrabandista  ;  he  might  be  a  bandolero  \ 
what  of  that  ?  thank  heaven  and  my  poverty,  I  had  nothing 
to  lose ;  so  I  sat  still  and  crunched  my  crust. 

"  He  led  his  horse  to  the  water,  close  by  where  I  was  sit 
ting,  so  that  I  had  a  fair  opportunity  of  reconnoitring  him. 
To  my  surprise  he  was  dressed  in  a  Moorish  garb,  with  a 


.     THE    ALHAMBRA 

cuirass  of  steel,  and  a  polished  skull-cap  that  I  distinguished 
by  the  reflection  of  the  stars  upon  it.  His  horse,  too,  was 
harnessed  in  the  Morisco  fashion,  with  great  shovel  stirrups. 
He  led  him,  as  I  said,  to  the  side  of  the  stream,  into  which 
the  animal  plunged  his  head  almost  to  the  eyes,  and  drank 
until  I  thought  he  would  have  burst. 

1 '  Comrade,'  said  I,  '  your  steed  drinks  well ;  it 's  a  good 
sign  when  a  horse  plunges  his  muzzle  bravely  into  the 
water.' 

1 '  He  may  well  drink,'  said  the  stranger,  speaking  with  a 
Moorish  accent ;  '  it  is  a  good  year  since  he  had  his  last 
draught.' 

''By  Santiago,'  said  I,  'that  beats  even  the  camels  I  have 
seen  in  Africa.  But  come,  you  seem  to  be  something  of  a 
soldier,  will  you  sit  down  and  take  part  of  a  soldier's  fare  ? ' 
In  fact,  I  felt  the  want  of  a  companion  in  this  lonely  place, 
and  was  willing  to  put  up  with  an  infidel.  Besides,  as  your 
Excellency  well  knows,  a  soldier  is  never  very  particular 
about  the  faith  of  his  company,  and  soldiers  of  all  countries 
are  comrades  on  peaceable  ground." 
The  governor  again  nodded  assent. 

"  Well,  as  I  was  saying,  I  invited  him  to  share  my  supper, 
such  as  it  was,  for  I  could  not  do  less  in  common  hospitality. 
'I  have  no  time  to  pause  for  meat  or  drink,'  said  he,  'I  have 
a  long  journey  to  make  before  morning.' 

' '  In  what  direction  ? '  said  I. 

' '  Andalusia,'  said  he. 

: '  Exactly  my  route,'  said  I ;  'so,  as  you  won't  stop  and 
eat  with  me,  perhaps  you  will  let  me  mount  and  ride  with 
you.  I  see  your  horse  is  of  a  powerful  frame  ;  I  '11  warrant 
he  '11  carry  double.' 

[298] 


GOVERNOR    MANGO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

"  'Agreed,'  said  the  trooper ;  and  it  would  not  have  been 
civil  and  soldierlike  to  refuse,  especially  as  I  had  offered  to 
share  my  supper  with  him.  So  up  he  mounted,  and  up  I 
mounted  behind  him. 

1  Hold  fast,'  said  he,  '  my  steed  goes  like  the  wind.' 
1  Never  fear  me,'  said  I,  and  so  off  we  set. 

"  From  a  walk  the  horse  soon  passed  to  a  trot,  from  a  trot 
to  a  gallop,  and  from  a  gallop  to  a  harum-scarum  scamper. 
It  seemed  as  if  rocks,  trees,  houses,  everything  flew  hurry- 
scurry  behind  us. 

"  *  What  town  is  this  ? '  said  I. 

! '  Segovia,'  said  he ;  and  before  the  word  was  out  of  his 
mouth,  the  towers  of  Segovia  were  out  of  sight.  We  swept 
up  the  Guadarama  Mountains,  and  down  by  the  Escurial ; 
and  we  skirted  the  walls  of  Madrid,  and  we  scoured  away 
across  the  plains  of  La  Mancha.  In  this  way  we  went  up 
hill  and  down  dale,  by  towers  and  cities,  all  buried  in  deep 
sleep,  and  across  mountains,  and  plains,  and  rivers,  just 
glimmering  in  the  starlight. 

"  To  make  a  long  story  short,  and  not  to  fatigue  your 
Excellency,  the  trooper  suddenly  pulled  up  on  the  side  of  a 
mountain.  '  Here  we  are,'  said  he,  '  at  the  end  of  our 
journey.'  I  looked  about,  but  could  see  no  signs  of  habita 
tion  ;  nothing  but  the  mouth  of  a  cavern.  While  I  looked  I 
saw  multitudes  of  people  in  Moorish  dresses,  some  on  horse 
back,  some  on  foot,  arriving  as  if  borne  by  the  wind  from 
all  points  of  the  compass,  and  hurrying  into  the  mouth  of  the 
cavern  like  bees  into  a  hive.  Before  I  could  ask  a  question, 
the  trooper  struck  his  long  Moorish  spurs  into  the  horse's 
flanks,  and  dashed  in  with  the  throng.  We  passed  along  a 
steep  winding  way,  that  descended  into  the  very  bowels  of 

[299] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

the  mountain.  As  we  pushed  on,  a  light  began  to  glimmer 
up,  by  little  and  little,  like  the  first  glimmerings  of  day,  but 
what  caused  it  I  could  not  discern.  It  grew  stronger  and 
stronger,  and  enabled  me  to  see  everything  around.  I  now 
noticed,  as  we  passed  along,  great  caverns,  opening  to  the 
right  and  left,  like  halls  in  an  arsenal.  In  some  there  were 
shields,  and  helmets,  and  cuirasses,  and  lances,  and  cimeters, 
hanging  against  the  walls  ;  in  others  there  were  great  heaps 
of  warlike  munitions  and  camp-equipage  lying  upon  the  ground. 

"  It  would  have  done  your  Excellency's  heart  good,  being 
an  old  soldier,  to  have  seen  such  grand  provision  for  war. 
Then,  in  other  caverns,  there  were  long  rows  of  horsemen 
armed  to  the  teeth,  with  lances  raised  and  banners  unfurled, 
all  ready  for  the  field ;  but  they  all  sat  motionless  in  their 
saddles,  like  so  many  statues.  In  other  halls  were  warriors 
sleeping  on  the  ground  beside  their  horses,  and  foot-soldiers 
in  groups  ready  to  fall  into  the  ranks.  All  were  in  old- 
fashioned  Moorish  dresses  and  armor. 

"  Well,  your  Excellency,  to  cut  a  long  story  short,  we  at 
length  entered  an  immense  cavern,  or  I  may  say  palace,  of 
grotto-work,  the  walls  of  which  seemed  to  be  veined  with 
gold  and  silver,  and  to  sparkle  with  diamonds  and  sapphires 
and  all  kinds  of  precious  stones.  At  the  upper  end  sat  a 
Moorish  king  on  a  golden  throne,  with  his  nobles  on  each 
side,  and  a  guard  of  African  blacks  with  drawn  cimeters. 
All  the  crowd  that  continued  to  flock  in,  and  amounted  to 
thousands  and  thousands,  passed  one  by  one  before  his 
throne,  each  paying  homage  as  he  passed.  Some  of  the 
multitude  were  dressed  in  magnificent  robes,  without  stain 
or  blemish,  and  sparkling  with  jewels  ;  others  in  burnished 
and  enamelled  armor ;  while  others  were  in  mouldered  and 

[300] 


GOVERNOR    MANGO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

mildewed  garments,  and  in  armor  all  battered  and  dented 
and  covered  with  rust. 

"  I  had  hitherto  held  my  tongue,  for  your  Excellency  well 
knows  it  is  not  for  a  soldier  to  ask  many  questions  when 
on  duty,  but  I  could  keep  silent  no  longer. 

'Prithee,  comrade,'  said  I,  'what  is  the  meaning  of 
all  this  ? ' 

'  This,'  said  the  trooper,  '  is  a  great  and  fearful  mystery. 
Know,  O  Christian,  that  you  see  before  you  the  court  and 
army  of  Boabdil  the  last  king  of  Granada.' 

*  What  is  this  you  tell  me  ? '  cried  I.  *  Boabdil  and  his 
court  were  exiled  from  the  land  hundreds  of  years  agone, 
and  all  died  in  Africa.' 

1 '  So  it  is  recorded  in  your  lying  chronicles,'  replied  the 
Moor ;  '  but  know  that  Boabdil  and  the  warriors  who  made 
the  last  struggle  for  Granada  were  all  shut  up  in  the  moun 
tain  by  powerful  enchantment.  As  for  the  king  and  army 
that  marched  forth  from  Granada  at  the  time  of  the  sur 
render,  they  were  a  mere  phantom  train  of  spirits  and 
demons,  permitted  to  assume  those  shapes  to  deceive  the 
Christian  sovereigns.  And  furthermore  let  me  tell  you, 
friend,  that  all  Spain  is  a  country  under  the  power  of  en 
chantment.  There  is  not  a  mountain  cave,  not  a  lonely  watch- 
tower  in  the  plains,  nor  ruined  castle  on  the  hills,  but  has 
some  spell-bound  warriors  sleeping  from  age  to  age  within 
its  vaults,  until  the  sins  are  expiated  for  which  Allah  per 
mitted  the  dominion  to  pass  for  a  time  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  faithful.  Once  every  year,  on  the  eve  of  St.  John,  they 
are  released  from  enchantment,  from  sunset  to  sunrise,  and 
permitted  to  repair  here  to  pay  homage  to  their  sovereign  ! 
and  the  crowds  which  you  beheld  swarming  into  the  cavern 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

are  Moslem  warriors  from  their  haunts  in  all  parts  of  Spain. 
For  my  own  part,  you  saw  the  ruined  tower  of  the  bridge  in 
Old  Castile,  where  I  have  now  wintered  and  summered  for 
many  hundred  years,  and  where  I  must  be  back  again  by 
daybreak.  As  to  the  battalions  of  horse  and  foot  which  you 
beheld  drawn  up  in  array  in  the  neighboring  caverns,  they 
are  the  spell-bound  warriors  of  Granada.  It  is  written  in  the 
book  of  fate,  that  when  the  enchantment  is  broken,  Boabdil 
will  descend  from  the  mountain  at  the  head  of  this  army, 
resume  his  throne  in  the  Alhambra  and  his  sway  of  Granada, 
and  gathering  together  the  enchanted  warriors  from  all  parts 
of  Spain,  will  reconquer  the  Peninsula  and  restore  it  to 
Moslem  rule.' 

1 '  And  when  shall  this  happen  ? '  said  I. 

'  *  Allah  alone  knows :  we  had  hoped  the  day  of  deliverance 
was  at  hand  ;  but  there  reigns  at  present  a  vigilant  governor 
in  the  Alhambra,  a  stanch  old  soldier,  well  known  as  Governor 
Manco.  While  such  a  warrior  holds  command  of  the  very 
outpost,  and  stands  ready  to  check  the  first  irruption  from 
the  mountain,  I  fear  Boabdil  and  his  soldiery  must  be  con 
tent  to  rest  upon  their  arms.' ' 

Here  the  governor  raised  himself  somewhat  perpendicu 
larly,  adjusted  his  sword,  and  twirled  up  his  moustaches. 

"  To  make  a  long  story  short,  and  not  to  fatigue  your 
Excellency,  the  trooper,  having  given  me  this  account,  dis 
mounted  from  his  steed. 

'  Tarry  here/  said  he,  *  and  guard  my  steed  while  I  go 
and  bow  the  knee  to  Boabdil.'  So  saying,  he  strode  away 
among  the  throng  that  pressed  forward  to  the  throne. 

"  '  What 's  to  be  done  ? '  thought  I,  when  thus  left  to 
myself ;  '  shall  I  wait  here  until  this  infidel  returns  to  whisk 


GOVERNOR    MANGO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

me  off  on  his  goblin  steed,  the  Lord  knows  where ;  or  shall 
I  make  the  most  of  my  time  and  beat  a  retreat  from  this 
hobgoblin  community  ? '  A  soldier's  mind  is  soon  made  up, 
as  your  Excellency  well  knows.  As  to  the  horse,  he  belonged 
to  an  avowed  enemy  of  the  faith  and  the  realm,  and  was  a 
fair  prize  according  to  the  rules  of  war.  So  hoisting  myself 
from  the  crupper  into  the  saddle,  I  turned  the  reins,  struck 
the  Moorish  stirrups  into  the  sides  of  the  steed,  and  put  him 
to  make  the  best  of  his  way  out  of  the  passage  by  which  he 
had  entered.  As  we  scoured  by  the  halls  where  the  Moslem 
horsemen  sat  in  motionless  battalions,  I  thought  I  heard  the 
clang  of  armor  and  a  hollow  murmur  of  voices.  I  gave  the 
steed  another  taste  of  the  stirrups  and  doubled  my  speed. 
There  was  now  a  sound  behind  me  like  a  rushing  blast ;  I 
heard  the  clatter  of  a  thousand  hoofs  ;  a  countless  throng 
overtook  me.  I  was  borne  along  in  the  press,  and  hurled 
forth  from  the  mouth  of  the  cavern,  while  thousands  of 
shadowy  forms  were  swept  off  in  every  direction  by  the 
four  winds  of  heaven. 

"  In  the  whirl  and  confusion  of  the  scene  I  was  thrown 
senseless  to  the  earth.  When  I  came  to  myself,  I  was 
lying  on  the  brow  of  a  hill,  with  the  Arabian  steed  standing 
beside  me  ;  for  in  falling,  my  arm  had  slipped  within  the 
bridle,  which,  I  presume,  prevented  his  whisking  off  to  Old 
Castile. 

"  Your  Excellency  may  easily  judge  of  my  surprise,  on 
looking  round,  to  behold  hedges  of  aloes  and  Indian  figs  and 
other  proofs  of  a  southern  climate,  and  to  see  a  great  city 
below  me,  with  towers,  and  palaces,  and  a  grand  cathedral. 

"  I  descended  the  hill  cautiously,  leading  my  steed,  for  I 
was  afraid  to  mount  him  again,  lest  he  should  play  me  some 

[303] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

slippery  trick.  As  I  descended  I  met  with  your  patrol,  who 
let  me  into  the  secret  that  it  was  Granada  that  lay  before  me, 
and  that  I  was  actually  under  the  walls  of  the  Alhambra, 
the  fortress  of  the  redoubted  Governor  Manco,  the  terror  of 
all  enchanted  Moslems.  When  I  heard  this,  I  determined 
at  once  to  seek  your  Excellency,  to  inform  you  of  all  that  I 
had  seen,  and  to  warn  you  of  the  perils  that  surround  and 
undermine  you,  that  you  may  take  measures  in  time  to  guard 
your  fortress,  and  the  kingdom  itself,  from  this  intestine 
army  that  lurks  in  the  very  bowels  of  the  land." 

"  And  prithee,  friend,  you  who  are  a  veteran  campaigner, 
and  have  seen  so  much  service,"  said  the  governor,  "  how 
would  you  advise  me  to  proceed,  in  order  to  prevent  this 
evil?" 

"It  is  not  for  a  humble  private  of  the  ranks,"  said  the 
soldier,  modestly,  "to  pretend  to  instruct  a  commander  of 
your  Excellency's  sagacity,  but  it  appears  to  me  that  your 
Excellency  might  cause  all  the  caves  and  entrances  into  the 
mountains  to  be  walled  up  with  solid  mason-work,  so  that 
Boabdil  and  his  army  might  be  completely  corked  up  in 
their  subterranean  habitation." 

The  governor  now  placed  his  arm  akimbo,  with  his  hand 
resting  on  the  hilt  of  his  Toledo,  fixed  his  eye  upon  the 
soldier,  and  gently  wagging  his  head  from  one  side  to  the 
other,  — 

11  So,  friend,"  said  he,  "  then  you  really  suppose  I  am 
to  be  gulled  with  this  cock-and-bull  story  about  enchanted 
mountains  and  enchanted  Moors  ?  Hark  ye,  culprit !  —  not 
another  word.  An  old  soldier  you  may  be,  but  you  '11  find 
you  have  an  older  soldier  to  deal  with,  and  one  not  easily 
outgeneralled.  Ho  !  guards  there  !  put  this  fellow  in  irons." 

[304] 


GOVERNOR    MANCO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

The  demure  handmaid  would  have  put  in  a  word  in  favor 
of  the  prisoner,  but  the  governor  silenced  her  with  a  look. 

As  they  ^  were  pinioning  the  soldier,  one  of  the  guards  felt 
something  of  bulk  in  his  pocket,  and  drawing  it  forth,  found 
a  long  leathern  purse  that  appeared  to  be  well  filled.  Holding 
it  by  one  corner,  he  turned  out  the  contents  upon  the  table 
before  the  governor,  and  never  did  freebooter's  bag  make 
more  gorgeous  delivery.  Out  tumbled  rings  and  jewels,  and 
rosaries  of  pearls,  and  sparkling  diamond  crosses,  and  a 
profusion  of  ancient  golden  coin,  some  of  which  fell  jingling 
to  the  floor,  and  rolled  away  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
chamber. 

For  a  time  the  functions  of  justice  were  suspended  ;  there 
was  a  universal  scramble  after  the  glittering  fugitives.  The 
governor  alone,  who  was  imbued  with  true  Spanish  pride, 
maintained  his  stately  decorum,  though  his  eye  betrayed  a 
little  anxiety  until  the  last  coin  and  jewel  was  restored  to 
the  sack. 

11 1  was  just  going  to  tell  your  Excellency  when  I  was 
interrupted,"  said  the  stranger,  "that  on  taking  possession 
of  the  trooper's  horse,  I  unhooked  a  leathern  sack  which 
hung  at  the  saddle-bow,  and  which  I  presume  contained 
the  plunder  of  his  campaignings  in  the  days  of  old,  when 
the  Moors  overran  the  country." 

"  Mighty  well ;  at  present  you  will  make  up  your  mind  to 
take  up  your  quarters  in  a  chamber  of  the  Vermilion  Tower, 
which,  though  not  under  a  magic  spell,  will  hold  you  as  safe 
as  any  cave  of  your  enchanted  Moors." 

"Your  Excellency  will  do  as  you  think  proper,"  said  the 
prisoner,  coolly.  "  I  shall  be  thankful  to  your  Excellency  for 
any  accommodation  in  the  fortress.  A  soldier  who  has  been 

[305] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

in  the  wars,  as  your  Excellency  well  knows,  is  not  particular 
about  his  lodgings.  Provided  I  have  a  snug  dungeon  and 
regular  rations,  I  shall  manage  to  make  myself  comfortable. 
I  would  only  entreat  that  while  your  Excellency  is  so  careful 
about  me,  you  would  have  an  eye  to  your  fortress,  and  think 
on  the  hint  I  dropped  about  stopping  up  the  entrances  to 
the  mountain." 

Here  ended  the  scene.  The  prisoner  was  conducted  to  a 
strong  dungeon  in  the  Vermilion  Tower,  the  Arabian  steed 
was  led  to  his  Excellency's  stable,  and  the  trooper's  sack 
was  deposited  in  his  Excellency's  strong  box. 

To  explain  these  prompt  and  rigid  measures  on  the  part 
of  old  Governor  Manco,  it  is  proper  to  observe,  that  about 
this  time  the  Alpuxarra  Mountains  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Granada  were  terribly  infested  by  a  gang  of  robbers,  under 
the  command  of  a  daring  chief  named  Manuel  Borasco,  who 
was  accustomed  to  prowl  about  the  country,  and  even  to 
enter  the  city  in  various  disguises,  to  gain  intelligence  of  the 
departure  of  convoys  of  merchandise,  or  travellers  with  well- 
lined  purses,  whom  they  took  care  to  waylay  in  distant  and 
solitary  passes  of  the  road.  These  repeated  and  daring  out 
rages  had  awakened  the  attention  of  government,  and  the 
commanders  of  the  various  posts  had  received  instructions 
to  be  on  the  alert,  and  to  take  up  all  suspicious  stragglers. 
Governor  Manco  was  particularly  zealous  in  consequence  of 
the  various  stigmas  that  had  been  cast  upon  his  fortress, 
and  he  now  doubted  not  he  had  entrapped  some  formidable 
desperado  of  this  gang. 

In  the  meantime  the  story  took  wind,  and  became  the  talk, 
not  merely  of  the  fortress,  but  of  the  whole  city  of  Granada. 
It  was  said  that  the  noted  robber  Manuel  Borasco,  the  terror 

[306] 


GOVERNOR    MANGO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

of  the  Alpuxarras,  had  fallen  into  the  clutches  of  old  Gov 
ernor  Manco,  and  been  cooped  up  by  him  in  a  dungeon  of 
the  Vermilion  Tower ;  and  every  one  who  had  been  robbed 
by  him  flocked  to  recognize  the  marauder.  The  Vermilion 
Tower,  as  is  well  known,  stands  apart  from  the  Alhambra  on 
a  sister  hill,  separated  from  the  main  fortress  by  the  ravine 
down  which  passes  the  main  avenue.  There  were  no  outer 
walls,  but  a  sentinel  patrolled  before  the  tower.  The  window 
of  the  chamber  in  which  the  soldier  was  confined  was  strongly 
grated,  and  looked  upon  a  small  esplanade.  Here  the  good 
folks  of  Granada  repaired  to  gaze  at  him,  as  they  would  at 
a  laughing  hyena,  grinning  through  the  cage  of  a  menagerie. 
Nobody,  however,  recognized  him  for  Manuel  Borasco,  for 
that  terrible  robber  was  noted  for  a  ferocious  physiognomy, 
and  had  by  no  means  the  good-humored  squint  of  the  prisoner. 
Visitors  came  not  merely  from  the  city,  but  from  all  parts  of 
the  country ;  but  nobody  knew  him,  and  there  began  to  be 
doubts  in  the  minds  of  the  common  people  whether  there 
might  not  be  some  truth  in  his  story.  That  Boabdil  and  his 
army  were  shut  up  in  the  mountain,  was  an  old  tradition 
which  many  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  had  heard  from  their 
fathers.  Numbers  went  up  to  the  Mountain  of  the  Sun,  or 
rather  of  St.  Elena,  in  search  of  the  cave  mentioned  by  the 
soldier  ;  and  saw  and  peeped  into  the  deep,  dark  pit,  descend 
ing,  no  one  knows  how  far,  into  the  mountain,  and  which 
remains  there  to  this  day  —  the  fabled  entrance  to  the  sub 
terranean  abode  of  Boabdil. 

By  degrees  the  soldier  became  popular  with  the  common 
people.  A  freebooter  of  the  mountains  is  by  no  means  the 
opprobrious  character  in  Spain  that  a  robber  is  in  any  other 
country  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  is  a  kind  of  chivalrous  personage 

[307] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

in  the  eyes  of  the  lower  classes.  There  is  always  a  disposi 
tion,  also,  to  cavil  at  the  conduct  of  those  in  command ;  and 
many  began  to  murmur  at  the  high-handed  measures  of  old 
Governor  Manco,  and  to  look  upon  the  prisoner  in  the  light 
of  a  martyr. 

The  soldier,  moreover,  was  a  merry,  waggish  fellow,  that 
had  a  joke  for  every  one  who  came  near  his  window,  and  a 
soft  speech  for  every  female.  He  had  procured  an  old  guitar, 
also,  and  would  sit  by  his  window  and  sing  ballads  and  love- 
ditties,  to  the  delight  of  the  women  of  the  neighborhood,  who 
would  assemble  on  the  esplanade  in  the  evening  and  dance 
boleros  to  his  music.  Having  trimmed  off  his  rough  beard, 
his  sunburnt  face  found  favor  in  the  eyes  of  the  fair,  and  the 
demure  handmaid  of  the  governor  declared  that  his  squint 
was  perfectly  irresistible.  This  kind-hearted  damsel  had  from 
the  first  evinced  a  deep  sympathy  in  his  fortunes,  and  having 
in  vain  tried  to  mollify  the  governor,  had  set  to  work  privately 
to  mitigate  the  rigor  of  his  dispensations.  Every  day  she 
brought  the  prisoner  some  crumbs  of  comfort  which  had 
fallen  from  the  governor's  table,  or  been  abstracted  from  his 
larder,  together  with,  now  and  then,  a  consoling  bottle  of 
choice  Valdepenas,  or  rich  Malaga. 

While  this  petty  treason  was  going  on  in  the  very  centre 
of  the  old  governor's  citadel,  a  storm  of  open  war  was  brew 
ing  up  among  his  external  foes.  The  circumstance  of  a  bag 
of  gold  and  jewels  having  been  found  upon  the  person  of 
the  supposed  robber,  had  been  reported,  with  many  exag 
gerations,  in  Granada.  A  question  of  territorial  jurisdiction 
was  immediately  started  by  the  governor's  inveterate  rival, 
the  captain-general.  He  insisted  that  the  prisoner  had  been 
captured  without  the  precincts  of  the  Alhambra,  and  within 

[308] 


GOVERNOR    MANCO    AND    THE    SOLDIER 

the  rules  of  his  authority.  He  demanded  his  body,  therefore, 
and  the  spolia  opima  taken  with  him.  The  feuds  ran  high. 
The  governor  was  furious,  and  swore,  rather  than  surrender 
his  captive,  he  would  hang  him  up  within  the  Alhambra,  as 
a  spy  caught  within  the  purlieus  of  the  fortress. 

The  captain-general  threatened  to  send  a  body  of  soldiers 
to  transfer  the  prisoner  from  the  Vermilion  Tower  to  the 
city.  "Let  them  come,"  said  he;  "they'll  find  me  before 
hand  with  them.  He  must  rise  bright  and  early  who  would 
take  in  an  old  soldier."  He  accordingly  issued  orders  to  have 
the  prisoner  removed,  at  daybreak,  to  the  donjon  keep  within 
the  walls  of  the  Alhambra.  "And  d'ye  hear,  child,"  said  he 
to  his  demure  handmaid,  "  tap  at  my  door,  and  wake  me 
before  cock-crowing,  that  I  may  see  to  the  matter  myself." 

The  day  dawned,  the  cock  crowed,  but  nobody  tapped  at 
the  door  of  the  governor.  The  sun  rose  high  above  the 
mountain-tops,  and  glittered  in  at  his  casement,  ere  the  gov 
ernor  was  awakened  from  his  morning  dreams  by  his  veteran 
corporal,  who  stood  before  him  with  terror  stamped  upon  his 
iron  visage. 

"  He  's  off !  he  's  gone  !  "  cried  the  corporal,  gasping  for 
breath. 

"  Who  's  off  —  who  's  gone  ?  " 

"The  soldier  —  the  robber  —  the  devil,  for  aught  I  know. 
His  dungeon  is  empty,  but  the  door  locked  ;  no  one  knows 
how  he  has  escaped  out  of  it." 

"Who  saw  him  last?" 

"  Your  handmaid  ;  she  brought  him  his  supper." 

"  Let  her  be  called  instantly." 

Here  "was  new  matter  of  confusion.  The  chamber  of  the 
demure  damsel  was  likewise  empty ;  her  bed  had  not  been 

[309] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

slept  in.  She  had  doubtless  gone  off  with  the  culprit,  as  she  had 
appeared  for  some  days  past  to  have  frequent  conversations 
with  him. 

This  was  wounding  the  old  governor  in  a  tender  part,  but 
he  had  scarce  time  to  wince  at  it,  when  new  misfortunes 
broke  upon  his  view.  On  going  into  his  cabinet  he  found 
his  strong  box  open,  the  leather  purse  of  the  trooper  ab 
stracted,  and  with  it  a  couple  of  corpulent  bags  of  doubloons. 

But  how,  and  which  way,  had  the  fugitives  escaped  ?  An 
old  peasant,  who  lived  in  a  cottage  by  the  roadside  leading 
up  into  the  Sierra,  declared  that  he  had  heard  the  tramp  of 
a  powerful  steed,  just  before  daybreak,  passing  up  into  the 
mountains.  He  had  looked  out  at  his  casement,  and  could 
just  distinguish  a  horseman,  with  a  female  seated  before  him. 

"  Search  the  stables  !  "  cried  Governor  Manco.  The  stables 
were  searched.  All  the  horses  were  in  their  stalls,  excepting 
the  Arabian  steed.  In  his  place  was  a  stout  cudgel,  tied  to 
the  manger,  and  on  it  a  label  bearing  these  words,  M  A  gift 
to  Governor  Manco,  from  an  Old  Soldier." 


THE  CRUSADE  OF  THE  GRAND  MASTER  OF 
ALCANTARA 

IN  THE  course  of  a  morning's  research  among  the  old 
chronicles  in  the  Library  of  the  University,  I  came  upon 
a  little  episode  in  the  history  of  Granada,  so  strongly 
characteristic  of  the  bigot  zeal  which  sometimes  inflamed  the 
Christian  enterprises  against  this  splendid  but  devoted  city, 
that  I  was  tempted  to  draw  it  forth  from  the  parchment- 
bound  volume  in  which  it  lay  entombed,  and  submit  it  to  the 
reader. 

In  the  year  of  redemption,  1 394,  there  was  a  valiant  and 
devout  grand  master  of  Alcantara,  named  Martin  Yanez  de 
Barbudo,  who  was  inflamed  with  a  vehement  desire  to  serve 
God  and  fight  the  Moors.  Unfortunately  for  this  brave  and 
pious  cavalier,  a  profound  peace  existed  between  the  Christian 
and  Moslem  powers.  Henry  III  had  just  ascended  the  throne 
of  Castile,  and  Yusef  ben  Mohammed  had  succeeded  to  the 

[3"] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

throne  of  Granada,  and  both  were  disposed  to  continue  the 
peace  which  had  prevailed  between  their  fathers.  The  grand 
master  looked  with  repining  at  Moorish  banners  and  weapons, 
which  decorated  his  castle  hall,  trophies  of  the  exploits  of  his 
predecessors,  and  repined  at  his  fate  to  exist  in  a  period  of 
such  inglorious  tranquillity. 

At  length  his  impatience  broke  through  all  bounds,  and 
seeing  that  he  could  find  no  public  war  in  which  to  engage, 
he  resolved  to  carve  out  a  little  war  for  himself.  Such  at  least 
is  the  account  given  by  some  ancient  chronicles,  though  others 
give  the  following  as  the  motive  for  this  sudden  resolution  to 
go  campaigning. 

As  the  grand  master  was  one  day  seated  at  table  with  sev 
eral  of  his  cavaliers,  a  man  suddenly  entered  the  hall,  —  tall, 
meagre,  and  bony,  with  haggard  countenance  and  fiery  eye. 
All  recognized  him  for  a  hermit,  who  had  been  a  soldier  in 
his  youth,  but  now  led  a  life  of  penitence  in  a  cave.  He  ad 
vanced  to  the  table  and  struck  upon  it  with  a  fist  that  seemed 
of  iron.  "Cavaliers,"  said  he,  "why  sit  ye  here  idly,  with 
your  weapons  resting  against  the  wall,  while  the  enemies  of 
the  faith  lord  it  over  the  fairest  portion  of  the  land  ?  " 

"  Holy  father,  what  wouldst  thou  have  us  do,"  asked  the 
grand  master,  "  seeing  the  wars  are  over  and  our  swords 
bound  up  by  treaties  of  peace  ?  " 

"Listen  to  my  words,"  replied  the  hermit.  "  As  I  was 
seated  late  at  night  at  the  entrance  of  my  cave,  contemplating 
the  heavens,  I  fell  into  a  reverie,  and  a  wonderful  vision  was 
presented  to  me.  I  beheld  the  moon,  a  mere  crescent,  yet 
luminous  as  the  brightest  silver,  and  it  hung  in  the  heavens 
over  the  kingdom  of  Granada.  While  I  was  looking  at  it, 
behold  there  shot  forth  from  the  firmament  a  blazing  star, 


THE    CRUSADE 

which,  as  it  went,  drew  after  it  all  the  stars  of  heaven ;  and 
they  assailed  the  moon  and  drove  it  from  the  skies  ;  and  the 
whole  firmament  was  filled  with  the  glory  of  that  blazihg  star. 
While  mine  eyes  were  yet  dazzled  by  this  wondrous  sight, 
some  one  stood  by  me,  with  snowy  wings  and  a  shining  coun 
tenance.  '  O  man  of  prayer,'  said  he,  '  get  thee  to  the  grand 
master  of  Alcantara,  and  tell  him  of  the  vision  thou  hast  be 
held.  He  is  the  blazing  star,  destined  to  drive  the  crescent, 
the  Moslem  emblem,  from  the  land.  Let  him  boldly  draw 
the  sword  and  continue  the  good  work  begun  by  Pelazo  of 
old,  and  victory  will  assuredly  attend  his  banner.' ' 

The  grand  master  listened  to  the  hermit  as  to  a  messenger 
from  heaven,  and  followed  his  counsel  in  all  things.  By  his 
advice  he  despatched  two  of  his  stoutest  warriors,  armed 
cap-a-pie,  on  an  embassy  to  the  Moorish  king.  They  entered 
the  gates  of  Granada  without  molestation,  as  the  nations 
were  at  peace,  and  made  their  way  to  the  Alhambra,  where 
they  were  promptly  admitted  to  the  king,  who  received  them 
in  the  Hall  of  Ambassadors.  They  delivered  their  message 
roundly  and  hardly.  "  We  come,  O  king,  from  Don  Martin 
Yanez  de  Barbudo,  grand  master  of  Alcantara,  who  affirms 
the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  to  be  true  and  holy,  and  that  of 
Mahomet  false  and  detestable  ;  and  he  challenges  thee  to 
maintain  the  contrary,  hand  to  hand,  in  single  combat. 
Shouldst  thou  refuse,  he  offers  to  combat  with  one  hundred 
cavaliers  against  two  hundred,  or,  in  like  proportion,  to  the 
number  of  one  thousand,  always  allowing  thy  faith  a  double 
number  of  champions.  Remember,  O  king,  that  thou  canst 
not  refuse  this  challenge,  since  thy  prophet,  knowing  the 
impossibility  of  maintaining  his  doctrines  by  argument,  has 
commanded  his  followers  to  enforce  them  with  the  sword." 

[3.3] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  beard  of  King  Yusef  trembled  with  indignation. 
"  The  master  of  Alcantara,"  said  he,  "  is  a  madman  to  send 
such  a 'message,  and  ye  are  saucy  knaves  to  bring  it." 

So  saying,  he  ordered  the  ambassadors  to  be  thrown  into 
a  dungeon,  by  way  of  giving  them  a  lesson  in  diplomacy ; 
and  they  were  roughly  treated  on  their  way  thither  by  the 
populace,  who  were  exasperated  at  this  insult  to  their  sovereign 
and  their  faith. 

The  grand  master  of  Alcantara  could  scarcely  credit  the 
tidings  of  the  maltreatment  of  his  messengers ;  but  the  her 
mit  rejoiced  when  they  were  repeated  to  him.  "  God,"  said 
he,  "  has  blinded  this  infidel  king  for  his  downfall.  Since  he 
has  sent  no  reply  to  thy  defiance,  consider  it  accepted.  Mar 
shal  thy  forces,  therefore  ;  march  forward  to  Granada  ;  pause 
not  until  thou  seest  the  gate  of  Elvira.  A  miracle  will  be 
wrought  in  thy  favor.  There  will  be  a  great  battle ;  the 
enemy  will  be  overthrown  ;  but  not  one  of  thy  soldiers  will 
be  slain." 

The  grand  master  called  upon  every  warrior  zealous  in  the 
Christian  cause  to  aid  him  in  this  crusade.  In  a  little  while 
three  hundred  horsemen  and  a  thousand  foot-soldiers  rallied 
under  his  standard.  The  horsemen  were  veterans,  seasoned 
to  battle,  and  well  armed ;  but  the  infantry  were  raw  and 
undisciplined.  The  victory,  however,  was  to  be  miraculous  ; 
the  grand  master  was  a  man  of  surpassing  faith,  and  knew 
that  the  weaker  the  means  the  greater  the  miracle.  He  sallied 
forth  confidently,  therefore,  with  his  little  army,  and  the 
hermit  strode  ahead,  bearing  a  cross  on  the  end  of  a  long 
pole,  and  beneath  it  the  pennon  of  the  Order  of  Alcantara. 

As  they  approached  the  city  of  Cordova  they  were  over 
taken  by  messengers,  spurring  in  all  haste,  bearing  missives 


THE    CRUSADE 

from  the  Castilian  monarch,  forbidding  the  enterprise.  The 
grand  master  was  a  man  of  a  single  mind  and  a  single  will ; 
in  other  words,  a  man  of  one  idea.  "  Were  I  on  any  other 
errand,"  said  he,  "I  should  obey  these  letters  as  coming 
from  my  lord  the  king ;  but  I  am  sent  by  a  higher  power 
than  the  king.  In  compliance  with  its  commands  I  have  ad 
vanced  the  cross  thus  far  against  the  infidels  ;  and  it  would 
be  treason  to  the  standard  of  Christ  to  turn  back  without 
achieving  my  errand." 

So  the  trumpets  were  sounded  ;  the  cross  was  again  reared 
aloft,  and  the  band  of  zealots  resumed  their  march.  As  they 
passed  through  the  streets  of  Cordova  the  people  were  amazed 
at  beholding  a  hermit  bearing  a  cross  at  the  head  of  a  warlike 
multitude  ;  but  when  they  learnt  that  a  miraculous  victory  was 
to  be  effected  and  Granada  destroyed,  laborers  and  artisans 
threw  by  the  implements  of  their  handicrafts  and  joined 
in  the  crusade ;  while  a  mercenary  rabble  followed  on  with 
a  view  of  plunder. 

A  number  of  cavaliers  of  rank  who  lacked  faith  in  the 
promised  miracle,  and  dreaded  the  consequences  of  this  un 
provoked  irruption  into  the  country  of  the  Moor,  assembled 
at  the  bridge  of  the  Guadalquivir  and  endeavored  to  dissuade 
the  grand  master  from  crossing.  He  was  deaf  to  prayers, 
expostulations,  or  menaces ;  his  followers  were  enraged  at 
this  opposition  to  the  cause  of  the  faith ;  they  put  an  end  to 
the  parley  by  their  clamors ;  the  cross  was  again  reared  and 
borne  triumphantly  across  the  bridge. 

The  multitude  increased  as  it  proceeded  ;  by  the  time  the 
grand  master  had  reached  Alcala  la  Real,  which  stands  on  a 
mountain  overlooking  the  Vega  of  Granada,  upwards  of  five 
thousand  men  on  foot  had  joined  his  standard. 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

At  Alcala  came  forth  Alonzo  Fernandez  de  Cordova,  Lord 
of  Aguilar,  his  brother  Diego  Fernandez,  Marshal  of  Castile, 
and  other  cavaliers  of  valor  and  experience.  Placing  them 
selves  in  the  way  of  the  grand  master,  "  What  madness  is 
this,  Don  Martin  ?  "  said  they ;  "  the  Moorish  king  has  two 
hundred  thousand  foot-soldiers  and  five  thousand  horse  within 
his  walls  :  what  can  you  and  your  handful  of  cavaliers  and 
your  noisy  rabble  do  against  such  force  ?  Bethink  you  of  the 
disasters  which  have  befallen  other  Christian  commanders, 
who  have  crossed  these  rocky  borders  with  ten  times  your 
force.  Think,  too,  of  the  mischief  that  will  be  brought  upon 
this  kingdom  by  an  outrage  of  the  kind  committed  by  a  man 
of  your  rank  and  importance,  a  grand  master  of  Alcantara. 
Pause,  we  entreat  you,  while  the  truce  is  yet  unbroken.  Await 
within  the  borders  the  reply  of  the  king  of  Granada  to  your 
challenge.  If  he  agree  to  meet  you  singly,  or  with  champions 
two  or  three,  it  will  be  your  individual  contest,  and  fight  it 
out  in  God's  name ;  if  he  refuse,  you  may  return  home  with 
great  honor  and  the  disgrace  will  fall  upon  the  Moors." 

Several  cavaliers,  who  had  hitherto  followed  the  grand 
master  with  devoted  zeal,  were  moved  by  these  expostulations, 
and  suggested  to  him  the  policy  of  listening  to  this  advice. 

"  Cavaliers,"  said  he,  addressing  himself  to  Alonzo  Fer 
nandez  de  Cordova  and  his  companions,  "  I  thank  you  for 
the  counsel  you  have  so  kindly  bestowed  upon  me,  and  if  I 
were  merely  in  pursuit  of  individual  glory  I  might  be  swayed 
by  it.  But  I  am  engaged  to  achieve  a  great  triumph  of  the 
faith,  which  God  is  to  effect  by  miracle  through  my  means. 
As  to  you,  cavaliers,"  turning  to  those  of  his  followers  who 
had  wavered,  "  if  your  hearts  fail  you,  or  you  repent  of  hav 
ing  put  your  hands  to  this  good  work,  return,  in  God's  name, 


THE   CRUSADE 

and  my  blessing  go  with  you.  For  myself,  though  I  have 
none  to  stand  by  me  but  this  holy  hermit,  yet  will  I  assuredly 
proceed ;  until  I  have  planted  this  sacred  standard  on  the 
walls  of  Granada,  or  perished  in  the  attempt." 

"  Don  Martin  Yanez  de  Barbudo,"  replied  the  cavaliers, 
"  we  are  not  men  to  turn  our  backs  upon  our  commander, 
however  rash  his  enterprise.  We  spoke  but  in  caution.  Lead 
on,  therefore,  and  if  it  be  to  the  death,  be  assured  to  the 
death  we  will  follow  thee." 

By  this  time  the  common  soldiers  became  impatient.  "  For 
ward  !  forward !  "  shouted  they.  "  Forward  in  the  cause  of 
faith  !  "  So  the  grand  master  gave  signal,  the  hermit  again 
reared  the  cross  aloft,  and  they  poured  down  a  defile  of  the 
mountain,  with  solemn  chants  of  triumph. 

That  night  they  encamped  at  the  river  of  Azores,  and  the 
next  morning,  which  was  Sunday,  crossed  the  borders.  Their 
first  pause  was  at  an  atalaya  or  solitary  tower,  built'  upon  a 
rock ;  a  frontier  post  to  keep  a  watch  upon  the  border,  and 
give  notice  of  invasion.  It  was  thence  called  51  Torre  del 
Espia  (the  Tower  of  the  Spy).  The  grand  master  halted 
before  it  and  summoned  its  petty  garrison  to  surrender.  He 
was  answered  by  a  shower  of  stones  and  arrows,  which  wounded 
him  in  the  hand  and  killed  three  of  his  men. 

"  How  is  this,  father?"  said  he  to  the  hermit;  "you 
assured  me  that  not  one  of  my  followers  would  be  slain !  " 

"  True,  my  son  ;  but  I  meant  in  the  great  battle  of  the 
infidel  king ;  what  need  is  there  of  miracle  to  aid  in  the 
capture  of  a  petty  tower?" 

The  grand  master  was  satisfied.  He  ordered  wood  to  be 
piled  against  the  door  of  the  tower  to  burn  it  down.  In  the 
meantime  provisions  were  unloaded  from  the  sumpter-mules, 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

and  the  crusaders,  withdrawing  beyond  bow-shot,  sat  down 
on  the  grass  to  a  repast  to  strengthen  them  for  the  arduous 
day's  work  before  them.  While  thus  engaged,  they  were 
startled  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  great  Moorish  host. 
The  atalayas  had  given  the  alarm  by  fire  and  smoke  from 
the  mountain  tops  of  "an  enemy  across  the  border,"  and  the 
king  of  Granada  had  sallied  forth  with  a  great  force  to  the 
encounter. 

The  crusaders,  nearly  taken  by  surprise,  flew  to  arms  and 
prepared  for  battle.  The  grand  master  ordered  his  three 
hundred  horsemen  to  dismount  and  fight  on  foot  in  support 
of  the  infantry.  The  Moors,  however,  charged  so  suddenly 
that  they  separated  the  cavaliers  from  the  foot-soldiers  and 
prevented  their  uniting.  The  grand  master  gave  the  old  war 
cry,  "  Santiago  !  Santiago !  and  close  Spain  !  "  He  and  his 
knights  breasted  the  fury  of  the  battle,  but  were  surrounded 
by  a  countless  host  and  assailed  with  arrows,  stones,  darts, 
and  arquebuses.  Still  they  fought  fearlessly,  and  made  pro 
digious  slaughter.  The  hermit  mingled  in  the  hottest  of  the 
fight.  In  one  hand  he  bore  the  cross,  in  the  other  he  brand 
ished  a  sword,  with  which  he  dealt  about  him  like  a  maniac, 
slaying  several  of  the  enemy,  until  he  sank  to  the  ground 
covered  with  wounds.  The  grand  master  saw  him  fall,  and 
saw  too  late  the  fallacy  of  his  prophecies.  Despair,  however, 
only  made  him  fight  the  more  fiercely,  until  he  also  fell 
overpowered  by  numbers.  His  devoted  cavaliers  emulated 
his  holy  zeal.  Not  one  turned  his  back  nor  asked  for  mercy ; 
all  fought  until  they  fell.  As  to  the  foot-soldiers,  many  were 
killed,  many  taken  prisoners  ;  the  residue  escaped  to  Alcala 
la  Real.  When  the  Moors  came  to  strip  the  slain,  the  wounds 
of  the  cavaliers  were  all  found  to  be  in  front. 


THE    CRUSADE 

Such  was  the  catastrophe  of  this  fanatic  enterprise.  The 
Moors  vaunted  it  as  a  decisive  proof  of  the  superior  sanctity 
of  their  faith,  and  extolled  their  king  to  the  skies  when  he 
returned  in  triumph  to  Granada. 

As  it  was  satisfactorily  shown  that  this  crusade  was  the 
enterprise  of  an  individual,  and  contrary  to  the  express  orders 
of  the  king  of  Castile,  the  peace  of  the  two  kingdoms  was 
not  interrupted.  Nay,  the  Moors  evinced  a  feeling  of  respect 
for  the  valor  of  the  unfortunate  grand  master,  and  readily 
gave  up  his  body  to  Don  Alonzo  Fernandez  de  Cordova, 
who  came  from  Alcala  to  seek  it.  The  Christians  of  the 
frontier  united  in  paying  the  last  sad  honors  to  his  memory. 
His  body  was  placed  upon  a  bier,  covered  with  the  pennon 
of  the  Order  of  Alcantara  ;  and  the  broken  cross,  the  emblem 
of  his  confident  hopes  and  fatal  disappointment,  was  borne 
before  it.  In  this  way  his  remains  were  carried  back  in 
funeral  procession,  through  the  mountain  tract  which  he  had 
traversed  so  resolutely.  Wherever  it  passed,  through  a  town 
or  village,  the  populace  followed,  with  tears  and  lamentations, 
bewailing  him  as  a  valiant  knight  and  a  martyr  to  the  faith. 
His  body  was  interred  in  the  chapel  of  the  convent  of  Santa 
Maria  de  Almocovara,  and  on  his  sepulchre  may  still  be 
seen  engraven  in  quaint  and  antique  Spanish  the  following 
testimonial  to  his  bravery : 

"HERE  LIES  ONE  WHOSE  HEART  NEVER  KNEW  FEAR" 
(Aqui  yaz  aquel  que  par  neua  cosa  nunca  eve  pavor  en  seu  corazon) 


[319] 


SPANISH  ROMANCE 

IN  THE  latter  part  of  my  sojourn  in  the  Alhambra,  I  made 
frequent  descents  into  the  Jesuits'  Library  of  the  Univer 
sity  ;  and  relished  more  and  more  the  old  Spanish  chron 
icles,  which  I  found  there  bound  in  parchment.  I  delight  in 
those  quaint  histories  which  treat  of  the  times  when  the  Mos 
lems  maintained  a  foothold  in  the  Peninsula.  With  all  their 
bigotry  and  occasional  intolerance,  they  are  full  of  noble  acts 
and  generous  sentiments,  and  have  a  high,  spicy,  Oriental 
flavor,  not  to  be  found  in  other  records  of  the  times,  which 
were  merely  European.  In  fact,  Spain,  even  at  the  present 
day,  is  a  country  apart ;  severed  in  history,  habits,  manners, 
and  modes  of  thinking,  from  all  the  rest  of  Europe.  It  is  a 
romantic  country  ;  but  its  romance  has  none  of  the  sentimen 
tality  of  modern  European  romance ;  it  is  chiefly  derived 
from  the  brilliant  regions  of  the  East,  and  from  the  high- 
minded  school  of  Saracenic  chivalry. 


SPANISH    ROMANCE 

The  Arab  invasion  and  conquest  brought  a  higher  civiliza 
tion,  and  a  nobler  style  of  thinking,  into  Gothic  Spain.  The 
Arabs  were  a  quick-witted,  sagacious,  proud-spirited,  and 
poetical  people,  and  were  imbued  with  Oriental  science  and 
literature.  Wherever  they  established  a  seat  of  power,  it 
became  a  rallying-place  for  the  learned  and  ingenious ;  and 
they  softened  and  refined  the  people  whom  they  conquered. 
By  degrees,  occupancy  seemed  to  give  them  an  hereditary 
right  to  their  foothold  in  the  land  ;  they  ceased  to  be  looked 
upon  as  invaders,  and  were  regarded  as  rival  neighbors.  The 
Peninsula,  broken  up  into  a  variety  of  states,  both  Christian 
and  Moslem,  became,  for  centuries,  a  great  campaigning- 
ground,  where  the  art  of  war  seemed  to  be  the  principal 
business  of  man,  and  was  carried  to  the  highest  pitch  of 
romantic  chivalry.  The  original  ground  of  hostility,  a  differ 
ence  of  faith,  gradually  lost  its  rancor.  Neighboring  states, 
of  opposite  creeds,  were  occasionally  linked  together  in  alli 
ances,  offensive  and  defensive ;  so  that  the  cross  and  cres 
cent  were  to  be  seen  side  by  side,  fighting  against  some 
common  enemy.  In  times  of  peace,  too,  the  noble  youth  of 
either  faith  resorted  to  the  same  cities,  Christian  or  Moslem, 
to  school  themselves  in  military  science.  Even  in  the  tem 
porary  truces  of  sanguinary  wars,  the  warriors  who  had  re 
cently  striven  together  in  the  deadly  conflicts  of  the  field,  laid 
aside  their  animosity,  met  at  tournaments,  jousts,  and  other 
military  festivities,  and  exchanged  the  courtesies  of  gentle 
and  generous  spirits.  Thus  the  opposite  races  became  fre 
quently  mingled  together  in  peaceful  intercourse,  or  if  any 
rivalry  took  place,  it  was  in  those  high  courtesies  and  nobler 
acts,  which  bespeak  the  accomplished  cavalier.  Warriors,  of 
opposite  creeds,  became  ambitious  of  transcending  each  other 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

in  magnanimity  as  well  as  valor.  Indeed,  the  chivalric  vir 
tues  were  refined  upon  to  a  degree  sometimes  fastidious  and 
constrained,  but  at  other  times  inexpressibly  noble  and  affect 
ing.  The  annals  of  the  times  teem  with  illustrious  instances 
of  high-wrought  courtesy,  romantic  generosity,  lofty  disinter 
estedness,  and  punctilious  honor,  that  warm  the  very  soul  to 
read  them.  These  have  furnished  themes  for  national  plays 
and  poems,  or  have  been  celebrated  in  those  all-pervading 
ballads,  which  are  as  the  life-breath  of  the  people,  and  thus 
have  continued  to  exercise  an  influence  on  the  national  char 
acter,  which  centuries  of  vicissitude  and  decline  have  not 
been  able  to  destroy ;  so  that,  with  all  their  faults,  and  they 
are  many,  the  Spaniards,  even  at  the  present  day,  are,  on 
many  points,  the  most  high-minded  and  proud-spirited  people 
of  Europe.  It  is  true,  the  romance  of  feeling  derived  from 
the  sources  I  have  mentioned,  has,  like  all  other  romance, 
its  affectations  and  extremes.  It  renders  the  Spaniard  at 
times  pompous  and  grandiloquent ;  prone  to  carry  the  pun- 
donor,  or  point  of  honor,  beyond  the  bounds  of  sober  sense 
and  sound  morality  ;  disposed,  in  the  midst  of  poverty,  to 
affect  the  grande  caballero,  and  to  look  down  with  sover 
eign  disdain  upon  "  arts  mechanical,"  and  all  the  gainful  pur 
suits  of  plebeian  life  ;  but  this  very  inflation  of  spirit,  while  it 
fills  his  brain  with  vapors,  lifts  him  above  a  thousand  mean 
nesses  ;  and  though  it  often  keeps  him  in  indigence,  ever 
protects  him  from  vulgarity. 

In  the  present  day,  when  popular  literature  is  running  into 
the  low  levels  of  life,  and  luxuriating  on  the  vices  and  follies 
of  mankind  ;  and  when  the  universal  pursuit  of  gain  is  tram 
pling  down  the  early  growth  of  poetic  feeling,  and  wearing 
out  the  verdure  of  the  soul,  I  question  whether  it  would  not 

[322] 


SPANISH    ROMANCE 

be  of  service  for  the  reader  occasionally  to  turn  to  these  rec 
ords  of  prouder  times  and  loftier  modes  of  thinking ;  and  to 
steep  himself  to  the  very  lips  in  old  Spanish  romance. 

With  these  preliminary  suggestions,  the  fruit  of  a  morn 
ing's  reading  and  rumination  in  the  old  Jesuits'  Library  of 
the  University,  I  will  give  him  a  legend  in  point,  drawn  forth 
from  one  of  the  venerable  chronicles  alluded  to. 


[323] 


( 

*  ^a.- 

m  ;J*- 


:i' 


•       • 

LEGEND  OE  DON  MUNIO  SANCHO 
DE  HINOJOSA 

IN  THE  cloisters  of  the  ancient  Benedictine  convent  of 
Santo  Domingo,  at  Silos,  in  Castile,  are  the  mouldering 
yet  magnificent  monuments  of  the  once  powerful  and 
chivalrous  family  of  Hinojosa.  Among  these  reclines  the 
marble  figure  of  a  knight,  in  complete  armor,  with  the 
hands  pressed  together,  as  if  in  prayer.  On  one  side  of  his 
tomb  is  sculptured  in  relief  a  band  of  Christian  cavaliers, 
capturing  a  cavalcade  of  male  and  female  Moors  ;  on  the 
other  side,  the  same  cavaliers  are  represented  kneeling  be 
fore  an  altar.  The  tomb,  like  most  of  the  neighboring 
monuments,  is  almost  in  ruins,  and  the  sculpture  is  nearly 
unintelligible,  excepting  to  the  keen  eye  of  the  antiquary. 
The  story  connected  with  the  sepulchre,  however,  is  still 
preserved  in  the  old  Spanish  chronicles,  and  is  to  the  follow 
ing  purport. 


DON    MUNIO    SANCHO    DE    HINOJOSA 

In  old  times,  several  hundred  years  ago,  there  was  a  noble 
Castilian  cavalier,  named  Don  Munio  Sancho  de  Hinojosa, 
lord  of  a  border  castle,  which  had  stood  the  brunt  of  many 
a  Moorish  foray.  He  had  seventy  horsemen  as  his  household 
troops,  all  of  the  ancient  Castilian  proof ;  stark  warriors, 
hard  riders,  and  men  of  iron  ;  with  these  he  scoured  the 
Moorish  lands,  and  made  his  name  terrible  throughout  the 
borders.  His  castle-hall  was  covered  with  banners,  cimeters, 
and  Moslem  helms,  the  trophies  of  his  prowess.  Don  Munio 
was,  moreover,  a  keen  huntsman  ;  and  rejoiced  in  hounds  of 
all  kinds,  steeds  for  the  chase,  and  hawks  for  the  towering 
sport  of  falconry.  When  not  engaged  in  warfare  his  delight 
was  to  beat  up  the  neighboring  forests  ;  and  scarcely  ever 
did  he  ride  forth  without  hound  and  horn,  a  boar-spear  in 
his  hand,  or  a  hawk  upon  his  fist,  and  an  attendant  train  of 
huntsmen. 

His  wife,  Dona  Maria  Palacin,  was  of  a  gentle  and  timid 
nature,  little  fitted  to  be  the  spouse  of  so  hardy  and  adven 
turous  a  knight ;  and  many  a  tear  did  the  poor  lady  shed, 
when  he  sallied  forth  upon  his  daring  enterprises,  and  many 
a  prayer  did  she  offer  up  for  his  safety. 

As  this  doughty  cavalier  was  one  day  hunting,  he  stationed 
himself  in  a  thicket,  on  the  borders  of  a  green  glade  of  the 
forest,  and  dispersed  his  followers  to  rouse  the  game,  and 
drive  it  toward  his  stand.  He  had  not' been  here  long,  when 
a  cavalcade  of  Moors,  of  both  sexes,  came  prankling  over  the 
forest-lawn.  They  were  unarmed,  and  magnificently  dressed 
in  robes  of  tissue  and  embroidery,  rich  shawls  of  India,  brace 
lets  and  anklets  of  gold,  and  jewels  that  sparkled  in  the  sun. 

At  the  head  of  this  gay  cavalcade  rode  a  youthful  cavalier, 
superior  to  the  rest  in  dignity  and  loftiness  of  demeanor, 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

and  in  splendor  of  attire ;  beside  him  was  a  damsel,  whose 
veil,  blown  aside  by  the  breeze,  displayed  a  face  of  surpassing 
beauty,  and  eyes  cast  down  in  maiden  modesty,  yet  beaming 
with  tenderness  and  joy. 

Don  Munio  thanked  his  stars  for  sending  him  such  a 
prize,  and  exulted  at  the  thought  of  bearing  home  to  his  wife 
the  glittering  spoils  of  these  infidels.  Putting  his  hunting- 
horn  to  his  lips,  he  gave  a  blast  that  rung  through  the 
forest.  His  huntsmen  came  running  from  all  quarters,  and 
the  astonished  Moors  were  surrounded  and  made  captives. 

The  beautiful  Moor  wrung  her  hands  in  despair,  and  her 
female  attendants  uttered  the  most  piercing  cries.  The 
young  Moorish  cavalier  alone  retained  self-possession.  He 
inquired  the  name  of  the  Christian  knight  who  commanded 
this  troop  of  horsemen.  When  told  that  it  was  Don  Munio 
Sancho  de  Hinojosa,  his  countenance  lighted  up.  Approach 
ing  that  cavalier,  and  kissing  his  hand,  "  Don  Munio  Sancho," 
said  he,  "  I  have  heard  of  your  fame  as  a  true  and  valiant 
knight,  terrible  in  arms,  but  schooled  in  the  noble  virtues  of 
chivalry.  Such  do  I  trust  to  find  you.  In  me  you  behold 
Abadil,  son  of  a  Moorish  Alcalde.  I  am  on  the  way  to 
celebrate  my  nuptials  with  this  lady  ;  chance  has  thrown  us 
in  your  power,  but  I  confide  in  your  magnanimity.  Take  all 
our  treasure  and  jewels  ;  demand  what  ransom  you  think 
proper  for  our  persons,  but  suffer  us  not  to  be  insulted  nor 
dishonored." 

When  the  good  knight  heard  this  appeal,  and  beheld  the 
beauty  of  the  youthful  pair,  his  heart  was  touched  with 
tenderness  and  courtesy.  "God  forbid,"  said  he,  "that  I 
should  disturb  such  happy  nuptials.  My  prisoners  in  troth 
shall  ye  be,  for  fifteen  days,  and  immured  within  my  castle, 


DON    MUNIO    SANCHO    DE    HINOJOSA 

where  I  claim,  as  conqueror,  the  right  of  celebrating  your 
espousals." 

So  saying,  he  despatched  one  of  his  fleetest  horsemen  in 
advance,  to  notify  Doiia  Maria  Palacin  of  the  coming  of  this 
bridal  party ;  while  he  and  his  huntsmen  escorted  the  caval 
cade,  not  as  captors,  but  as  a  guard  of  honor.  As  they  drew 
near  to  the  castle,  the  banners  were  hung  out,  and  the 
trumpets  sounded  from  the  battlements  ;  and  on  their  nearer 
approach,  the  drawbridge  was  lowered,  and  Dona  Maria 
came  forth  to  meet  them,  attended  by  her  ladies  and  knights, 
her  pages  and  her  minstrels.  She  took  the  young  bride, 
Allifra,  in  her  arms,  kissed  her  with  the  tenderness  of  a 
sister,  and  conducted  her  into  the  castle.  In  the  meantime, 
Don  Munio  sent  forth  missives  in  every  direction,  and  had 
viands  and  dainties  of  all  kinds  collected  from  the  country 
round  ;  and  the  wedding  of  the  Moorish  lovers  was  celebrated 
with  all  possible  state  and  festivity.  For  fifteen  days  the 
castle  was  given  up  to  joy  and  revelry.  There  were  tiltings 
and  jousts  at  the  ring,  and  bull-fights,  and  banquets,  and 
dances  to  the  sound  of  minstrelsy.  When  the  fifteen  days 
were  at  an  end,  he  made  the  bride  and  bridegroom  mag 
nificent  presents,  and  conducted  them  and  their  attendants 
safely  beyond  the  borders.  Such,  in  old  times,  were  the 
courtesy  and  generosity  of  a  Spanish  cavalier. 

Several  years  after  this  event,  the  king  of  Castile  sum 
moned  his  nobles  to  assist  him  in  a  campaign  against  the 
Moors.  Don  Munio  Sancho  was  among  the  first  to  answer 
to  the  call,  with  seventy  horsemen,  all  stanch  and  well-tried 
warriors.  His  wife,  Dona  Maria,  hung  about  his  neck.  "  Alas, 
my  lord!  "  exclaimed  she,  "how  often  wilt  thou  tempt  thy 
fate,  and  when  will  thy  thirst  for  glory  be  appeased !  " 


THE    ALHAMBRA     . 

"One  battle  more,"  replied  Don  Munio,  "one  battle  more, 
for  the  honor  of  Castile,  and  I  here  make  a  vow  that,  when 
this  is  over,  I  will  lay  by  my  sword,  and  repair  with  my  cava 
liers  in  pilgrimage  to  the  sepulchre  of  our  Lord  at  Jerusalem." 
The  cavaliers  all  joined  with  him  in  the  vow,  and  Dona  Maria 
felt  in  some  degree  soothed  in  spirit ;  still,  she  saw  with  a 
heavy  heart  the  departure  of  her  husband,  and  watched  his 
banner  with  wistful  eyes,  until  it  disappeared  among  the  trees 
of  the  forest. 

The  king  of  Castile  led  his  army  to  the  plains  of  Salmanara, 
where  they  encountered  the  Moorish  host,  near  to  Ucles. 
The  battle  was  long  and  bloody ;  the  Christians  repeatedly 
wavered  and  were  as  often  rallied  by  the  energy  of  their 
commanders.  Don  Munio  was  covered  with  wounds,  but 
refused  to  leave  the  field.  The  Christians  at  length  gave 
way,  and  the  king  was  hardly  pressed,  and  in  danger  of 
being  captured. 

Don  Munio  called  upon  his  cavaliers  to  follow  him  to  the 
rescue.  "  Now  is  the  time,"  cried  he,  "  to  prove  your  loyalty. 
Fall  to,  like  brave  men  !  We  fight  for  the  true  faith,  and  if 
we  lose  our  lives  here,  we  gain  a  better  life  hereafter." 

Rushing  with  his  men  between  the  king  and  his  pursuers, 
they  checked  the  latter  in  their  career,  and  gave  time  for 
their  monarch  to  escape ;  but  they  fell  victims  to  their  loyalty. 
They  all  fought  to  the  last  gasp.  Don  Munio  was  singled 
out  by  a  powerful  Moorish  knight,  but  having  been  wounded 
in  the  right  arm,  he  fought  to  disadvantage,  and  was  slain. 
The  battle  being  over,  the  Moor  paused  to  possess  himself 
of  the  spoils  of  this  redoubtable  Christian  warrior.  When  he 
unlaced  the  helmet,  however,  and  beheld  the  countenance 
of  Don  Munio,  he  gave  a  great  cry  and  smote  his  breast. 


DON    MUNIO    SANCHO    DE    HINOJOSA 

"Woe  is  me!"  cried  he,  '  I  have  slain  my  benefactor! 
The  flower  of  knightly  virtue  !  the  most  magnanimous  of 
cavaliers !  " 

While  the  battle  had  been  raging  on  the  plain  of  Salmanara, 
Dona  Maria  Palacin  remained  in  her  castle,  a  prey  to  the 
keenest  anxiety.  Her  eyes  were  ever  fixed  on  the  road  that 
led  from  the  country  of  the  Moors,  and  often  she  asked  the 
watchman  of  the  tower,  "  What  seest  thou  ?  " 

One  evening,  at  the  shadowy  hour  of  twilight,  the  warden 
sounded  his  horn.  "  I  see,"  cried  he,  "a  numerous  train 
winding  up  the  valley.  There  are  mingled  Moors  and  Chris 
tians.  The  banner  of  my  lord  is  in  the  advance.  Joyful  tid 
ings  !  "  exclaimed  the  old  seneschal ;  "  my  lord  returns  in 
triumph,  and  brings  captives !  "  Then  the  castle  courts  rang 
with  shouts  of  joy;  and  the  standard  was  displayed,  and  the 
trumpets  were  sounded,  and  the  drawbridge  was  lowered,  and 
Dona  Maria  went  forth  with  her  ladies,  and  her  knights,  and 
her  pages,  and  her  minstrels,  to  welcome  her  lord  from  the 
wars.  But  as  the  train  drew  nigh,  she  beheld  a  sumptuous 
bier,  covered  with  black  velvet,  and  on  it  lay  a  warrior,  as  if 
taking  his  repose  :  he  lay  in  his  armor,  with  his  helmet  on 
his  head,  and  his  sword  in  his  hand,  as  one  who  had  never 
been  conquered,  and  around  the  bier  were  the  escutcheons 
of  the  house  of  Hinojosa. 

A  number  of  Moorish  cavaliers  attended  the  bier,  with 
emblems  of  mourning,  and  with  dejected  countenances  ;  and 
their  leader  cast  himself  at  the  feet  of  Dona  Maria,  and  hid 
his  face  in  his  hands.  She  beheld  in  him  the  gallant  Abadil, 
whom  she  had  once  welcomed  with  his  bride  to  her  castle  : 
but  who  now  came  with  the  body  of  her  lord,  whom  he  had 
unknowingly  slain  in  battle  ! 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  sepulchre  erected  in  the  cloisters  of  the  convent  of 
Santo  Domingo  was  achieved  at  the  expense  of  the  Moor 
Abadil,  as  a  feeble  testimony  of  his  grief  for  the  death  of  the 
good  knight  Don  Munio,  and  his  reverence  for  his  memory. 
The  tender  and  faithful  Dona  Maria  soon  followed  her  lord 
to  the  tomb.  One  one  of  the  stones  of  a  small  arch,  beside 
his  sepulchre,  is  the  following  simple  inscription:  " Hie  jacet 
Maria  Palacin,  uxor  Mnnonis  Sancij  De  Finojosa  "  —  Here 
lies  Maria  Palacin,  wife  of  Munio  Sancho  de  Hinojosa. 

The  legend  of  Don  Munio  Sancho  does  not  conclude  with 
his  death.  On  the  same  day  on  which  the  battle  took  place 
on  the  plain  of  Salmanara,  a  chaplain  of  the  Holy  Temple  at 
Jerusalem,  while  standing  at  the  outer  gate,  beheld  a  train  of 
Christian  cavaliers  advancing,  as  if  in  pilgrimage.  The  chap 
lain  was  a  native  of  Spain,  and  as  the  pilgrims  approached, 
he  knew  the  foremost  to  be  Don  Munio  Sancho  de  Hinojosa, 
with  whom  he  had  been  well  acquainted  in,  former  times. 
Hastening  to  the  patriarch,  he  told  him  of  the  honorable 
rank  of  the  pilgrims  at  the  gate.  The  patriarch,  therefore, 
went  forth  with  a  grand  procession  of  priests  and  monks, 
and  received  the  pilgrims  with  all  due  honor.  There  were 
seventy  cavaliers  beside  their  leader,  —  all  stark  and  lofty 
warriors.  They  carried  their  helmets  in  their  hands,  and 
their  faces  were  deadly  pale.  They  greeted  no  one,  nor 
looked  either  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  but  entered  the 
chapel,  and  kneeling  before  the  sepulchre  of  our  Saviour, 
performed  their  orisons  in  silence.  When  they  had  con 
cluded,  they  rose  as  if  to  depart,  and  the  patriarch  and  his 
attendants  advanced  to  speak  to  them,  but  they  were  no  more 
to  be  seen.  Every  one  marvelled  what  could  be  the  meaning 
of  this  prodigy.  The  patriarch  carefully  noted  down  the  day, 

[33°] 


DON    MUNIO    SANCHO    DE    HINOJOSA 

and  sent  to  Castile  to  learn  tidings  of  Don  Munio  Sancho 
de  Hinojosa.  He  received  for  reply,  that,  on  the  very  day 
specified,  that  worthy  knight,  with  seventy  of  his  followers, 
had  been  slain  in  battle.  These,  therefore,  must  have  been 
the  blessed  spirits  of  those  Christian  warriors,  come  to  fulfil 
their  vow  of  pilgrimage  to  the  Holy  Sepulchre  at  Jerusalem. 
Such  was  Castilian  faith  in  the  olden  time,  which  kept  its 
word,  even  beyond  the  grave. 

If  any  one  should  doubt  of  the  miraculous  apparition  of 
these  phantom  knights,  let  him  consult  the  "  History  of  the 
Kings  of  Castile  and  Leon,"  by  the  learned  and  pious  Fray 
Prudencio  de  Sandoval,  Bishop  of  Pamplona,  where  he  will 
find  it  recorded  in  the  "  History  of  King  Don  Alonzo  VI," 
on  the  hundred  and  second  page.  It  is  too  precious  a  legend 
to  be  lightly  abandoned  to  the  doubter. 


[33'] 


THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  ENCHANTED  SOLDIER 

TT^VERYBODY  has  heard  of  the  Cave  of  St.  Cyprian 
H  at  Salamanca,  where  in  old  times  judicial  astronomy, 
Jl — -4  necromancy,  chiromancy,  and  other  dark  and  dam 
nable  arts  were  secretly  taught  by  an  ancient  sacristan  ;  or, 
as  some  will  have  it,  by  the  Devil  himself,  in  that  disguise. 
The  cave  has  long  been  shut  up  and  the  very  site  of  it 
forgotten  ;  though,  according  to  tradition,  the  entrance  was 
somewhere  about  where  the  stone  cross  stands  in  the  small 
square  of  the  seminary  of  Carvajal ;  and  this  tradition  ap 
pears  in  some  degree  corroborated  by  the  circumstances  of 
the  following  story. 

There  was  at  one  time  a  student  of  Salamanca,  Don  Vi 
cente  by  name,  of  that  merry  but  mendicant  class,  who  set 
out  on  the  road  to  learning  without  a  penny  in  pouch  for  the 
journey,  and  who,  during  college  vacations,  beg  from  town 
to  town  and  village  to  village  to  raise  funds  to  enable  them 
to  pursue  their  studies  through  the  ensuing  term,  He  was 


THE    ENCHANTED    SOLDIER 

now  about  to  set  forth  on  his  wanderings  ;  and  being  some 
what  musical,  slung  on  his  back  a  guitar  with  which  to  amuse 
the  villagers,  and  pay  for  a  meal  or  a  night's  lodging. 

As  he  passed  by  the  stone  cross  in  the  seminary  square, 
he  pulled  off  his  hat  and  made  a  short  invocation  to  St. 
Cyprian,  for  good  luck  ;  when  casting  his  eyes  upon  the 
earth,  he  perceived  something  glitter  at  the  foot  of  the  cross. 
On  picking  it  up,  it  proved  to  be  a  seal-ring  of  mixed  metal, 
in  which  gold  and  silver  appeared  to  be  blended.  The  seal 
bore  as  a  device  two  triangles  crossing  each  other,  so  as  to 
form  a  star.  This  device  is  said  to  be  a  cabalistic  sign,  in 
vented  by  King  Solomon  the  Wise,  and  of  mighty  power 
in  all  cases  of  enchantment ;  but  the  honest  student,  being 
neither  sage  nor  conjurer,  knew  nothing  of  the  matter.  He 
took  the  ring  as  a  present  from  St.  Cyprian  in  reward  of 
his  prayer ;  slipped  it  on  his  finger,  made  a  bow  to  the  cross, 
and  strumming  his  guitar,  set  off  merrily  on  his  wandering. 

The  life  of  a  mendicant  student  in  Spain  is  not  the  most 
miserable  in  the  world,  especially  if  he  has  any  talent  at  mak 
ing  himself  agreeable.  He  rambles  at  large  from  village  to 
village,  and  city  to  city,  wherever  curiosity  or  caprice  may 
conduct  him.  The  country  curates,  who,  for  the  most  part, 
have  been  mendicant  students  in  their  time,  give  him  shelter 
for  the  night,  and  a  comfortable  meal,  and  often  enrich  him 
with  several  quartos  or  half-pence  in  the  morning.  As  he 
presents  himself  from  door  to  door  in  the  streets  of  the  cities, 
he  meets  with  no  harsh  rebuff,  no  chilling  contempt,  for  there 
is  no  disgrace  attending  his  mendacity,  many  of  the  most 
learned  men  in  Spain  having  commenced  their  career  in  this 
manner ;  but  if,  like  the  student  in  question,  he  is  a  good- 
looking  varlet  and  a  merry  companion,  and,  above  all,  if  he 

[333] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

can  play  the  guitar,  he  is  sure  of  a  hearty  welcome  among 
the  peasants,  and  smiles  and  favors  from  their  wives  and 
daughters. 

In  this  way,  then,  did  our  ragged  and  musical  son  of 
learning  make  his  way  over  half  the  kingdom  ;  with  the  fixed 
determination  to  visit  the  famous  city  of  Granada  before  his 
return.  Sometimes  he  was  gathered  for  the  night  into  the 
fold  of  some  village  pastor ;  sometimes  he  was  sheltered 
under  the  humble  but  hospitable  roof  of  the  peasant.  Seated 
at  the  cottage-door  with  his  guitar,  he  delighted  the  simple 
folk  with  his  ditties  ;  or  striking  up  a  fandango  or  bolero,  set 
the  brown  country  lads  and  lasses  dancing  in  the  mellow  twi 
light.  In  the  morning  he  departed  with  kind  words  from  host 
and  hostess,  and  kind  looks  and,  peradventure,  a  squeeze  of 
the  hand  from  the  daughter. 

At  length  he  arrived  at  the  great  object  of  his  musical 
vagabondizing,  the  far-famed  city  of  Granada,  and  hailed  with 
wonder  and  delight  its  Moorish  towers,  its  lovely  vegay  and 
its  snowy  mountains  glistening  through  a  summer  atmosphere. 
It  is  needless  to  say  with  what  eager  curiosity  he  entered  its 
gates  and  wandered  through  its  streets,  and  gazed  upon  its 
Oriental  monuments.  Every  female  face  peering  through  a 
window  or  beaming  from  a  balcony  was  to  him  a  Zorayda  or 
a  Zelinda,  nor  could  he  meet  a  stately  dame  on  the  Alameda 
but  he  was  -ready  to  fancy  her  a  Moorish  princess,  and  to 
spread  his  student's  robe  beneath  her  feet. 

His  musical  talent,  his  happy  humor,  his  youth,  and  his 
good  looks  won  him  a  universal  welcome  in  spite  of  his  ragged 
robes,  and  for  several  days  he  led  a  gay  life  in  the  old  Moorish 
capital  and  its  environs.  One  of  his  occasional  haunts  was 
the  fountain  of  Avellanos,  in  the  valley  of  Darro.  It  is  one 

[334] 


THE    ENCHANTED    SOLDIER 

of  the  popular  resorts  of  Granada,  and  has  been  so  since  the 
days  of  the  Moors  ;  and  here  the  student  had  an  opportunity 
of  pursuing  his  studies  of  female  beauty ;  a  branch  of  study 
to  which  he  was  a  little  prone. 

Here  he  would  take  his  seat  with  his  guitar,  improvise  love- 
ditties  to  admiring  groups  of  majos  and  majas,  or  prompt  with 
his  music  the  ever-ready  dance.  He  was  thus  engaged  one 
evening  when  he  beheld  a  padre  of  the  church  advancing, 
at  whose  approach  every  one  touched  the  hat.  He  was  evi 
dently  a  man  of  consequence  ;  he  certainly  was  a  mirror  of 
good  if  not  of  holy  living ;  robust  and  rosy-faced,  and  breath 
ing  at  every  pore  with  the  warmth  of  the  weather  and  the 
exercise  of  the  walk.  As  he  passed  along  he  would  every 
now  and  then  draw  a  maravedi  out  of  his  pocket  and  bestow 
it  on  a  beggar  with  an  air  of  signal  beneficence.  "  Ah,  the 
blessed  father!"  would  be  the  cry;  "long  life  to  him,  and 
may  he  soon  be  a  bishop  !  " 

To  aid  his  steps 'in  ascending  the  hill  he  leaned  gently  now 
and  then  on  the  arm  of  a  handmaid,  evidently  the  pet-lamb 
of  this  kindest  of  pastors.  Ah,  such  a  damsel !  Andalus  from 
head  to  foot ;  from  the  rose  in  her  hair,  to  the  fairy  shoe  and 
lacework  stocking.  But  then  so  modest  i  —  so  shy  !  —  ever, 
with  downcast  eyes,  listening  to  the  words  of  the  padre  ;  or, 
if  by  chance  she  let  flash  a  side  glance,  it  was  suddenly 
checked  and  her  eyes  once  more  cast  to  the  ground. 

The  good  padre  looked  benignantly  on  the  company  about 
the  fountain,  and  took  his  seat  with  some  emphasis  on  a 
stone  bench,  while  the  handmaid  hastened  to  bring  him  a 
glass  of  sparkling  water.  He  sipped  it  deliberately  and  with 
a  relish,  tempering  it  with  one  of  those  spongy  pieces  of 
frosted  eggs  and  sugar  so  dear  to  Spanish  epicures,  and  on 

[335] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

returning  the  glass  to  the  hand  of  the  damsel  pinched  her 
cheek  with  infinite  loving-kindness. 

"  Ah,  the  good  pastor  !  "  whispered  the  student  to  himself  ; 
"  what  a  happiness  would  it  be  to  be  gathered  into  his  fold 
with  such  a  pet-lamb  for  a  companion  !  " 

But  no  such  good  fare  was  likely  to  befall  him.  In  vain 
he  essayed  those  powers  of  pleasing  which  he  had  found  so 
irresistible  with  country  curates  and  country  lasses.  Never 
had  he  touched  his  guitar  with  such  skill ;  never  had  he 
poured  forth  more  soul-moving  ditties,  but  he  had  no  longer 
a  country  curate  or  country  lass  to  deal  with.  The  worthy 
priest  evidently  did  not  relish  music,  and  the  modest  damsel 
never  raised  her  eyes  from  the  ground.  They  remained  but 
a  short  time  at  the  fountain ;  the  good  padre  hastened  their 
return  to  Granada.  The  damsel  gave  the  student  one  shy 
glance  in  retiring  ;  but  it  plucked  the  heart  out  of  his  bosom  ! 

He  inquired  about  them  after  they  had  gone.  Padre  Tomas 
was  one  of  the  saints  of  Granada,  a  model  of  regularity ; 
•punctual  in  his  hour  of  rising  ;  his  hour  of  taking  -zpaseo  for 
an  appetite  ;  his  hours  of  eating  ;  his  hour  of  taking  his  siesta  ; 
his  hour  of  playing  his  game  of  tresillo,  of  an  evening,  with 
some  of  the  dames  of  the  cathedral  circle  ;  his  hour  of  supping, 
and  his  hour  of  retiring  to  rest,  to  gather  fresh  strength  for 
another  day's  round  of  similar  duties.  He  had  an  easy  sleek 
mule  for  his  riding ;  a  matronly  housekeeper  skilled  in  pre 
paring  tid-bits  for  his  table  ;  and  the  pet-lamb,  to  smooth  his 
pillow  at  night  and  bring  him  his  chocolate  in  the  morning. 

Adieu  now* to  the  gay,  thoughtless  life  of  the  student ;  the 
side  glance  of  a  bright  eye  had  been  the  undoing  of  him. 
Day  and  night  he  could  not  get  the  image  of  this  most 
modest  damsel  out  of  his  mind.  He  sought  the  mansion  of 

[336] 


THE    ENCHANTED    SOLDIER 

the  padre.  Alas  !  it  was  above  the  class  of  houses  accessible 
to  a  strolling  student  like  himself.  The  worthy  padre  had  no 
sympathy  with  him  ;  he  had  never  been  estiidiante  sopista^ 
obliged  to  sing  for  his  supper.  He  blockaded  the  house 
by  day,  catching  a  glance  of  the  damsel  now  and  then  as 
she  appeared  at  a  casement ;  but  these  glances  only  fed  his 
flame  without  encouraging  his  hope.  He  serenaded  her  bal 
cony  at  night,  and  at  one  time  was  flattered  by  the  appear 
ance  of  something  white  at  a  window.  Alas,  it  was  only  the 
nightcap  of  the  padre. 

Never  was  lover  more  devoted ;  never  damsel  more  shy ; 
the  poor  student  was  reduced  to  despair.  At  length  arrived 
the  eve  of  St.  John,  when  the  lower  classes  of  Granada  swarm 
into  the  country,  dance  away  the  afternoon,  and  pass  mid 
summer's  night  on  the  banks  of  the  Darro  and  the  Xenil. 
Happy  are  they  who  on  this  eventful  night  can  wash  their 
faces  in  those  waters  just  as  the  cathedral  bell  tells  midnight, 
for  at  that  precise '  moment  they  have  a  beautifying  power. 
The  student,  having  nothing  to  do,  suffered  himself  to  be 
carried  away  by  the  holiday-seeking  throng  until  he  found 
himself  in  the  narrow  valley  of  the  Darro,  below  the  lofty 
hill  and  ruddy  towers  of  the  Alhambra.  The  dry  bed  of  the 
river ;  the  rocks  which  border  it ;  the  terraced  gardens 
which  overhang  it,  were  alive  with  variegated  groups,  danc 
ing  under  the  vines  and  fig-trees  to  the  sound  of  the  guitar 
and  castanets. 

The  student  remained  for  some  time  in  doleful  dumps, 
leaning  against  one  of  the  huge  misshapen  stone  pomegran 
ates  which  adorn  the  ends  of  the  little  bridge  over  the  Darro. 
He  cast  a  wistful  glance  upon  the  merry  scene,  where  every 
cavalier  had  his  dame  ;  or,  to  speak  more  appropriately,  every 

[337] 


THE   AL HAM BRA 

Jack  his  Jill ;  sighed  at  his  own  solitary  state,  a  victim  to  the 
black  eye  of  the  most  unapproachable  of  damsels,  and  repined 
at  his  ragged  garb,  which  seemed  to  shut  the  gate  of  hope 
against  him. 

By  degrees  his  attention  was  attracted  to  a  neighbor  equally 
solitary  with  himself.  This  was  a  tall  soldier,  of  a  stern  aspect 
and  grizzled  beard,  who  seemed  posted  as  a  sentry  at  the 
opposite  pomegranate.  His  face  was  bronzed  by  time  ;  he 
was  arrayed  in  ancient  Spanish  armor,  with  buckler  and 
lance,  and  stood  immovable  as  a  statue.  What  surprised  the 
student  was,  that  though  thus  strangely  equipped,  he  was 
totally  unnoticed  by  the  passing  throng,  albeit  that  many 
almost  brushed  against  him. 

"  This  is  a  city  of  old  time  peculiarities,"  thought  the 
student,  "and  doubtless  this  is  one  of  them  with  which  the 
inhabitants  are  too  familiar  to  be  surprised."  His  own  curi 
osity,  however,  was  awakened,  and  being  of  a  social  disposition, 
he  accosted  the  soldier. 

"  A  rare  old  suit  of  armor  that  which  you  wear,  comrade. 
May  I  ask  what  corps  you  belong  to  ?  " 

The  soldier  gasped  out  a  reply  from  a  pair  of  jaws  which 
seemed  to  have  rusted  on  their  hinges. 

"  The  royal  guard  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella." 

11  Santa  Maria  !  Why,  it  is  three  centuries  since  that  corps 
was  in  service." 

"And  for  three  centuries  have  I  been  mounting  guard. 
Now  I  trust  my  tour  of  duty  draws  to  a  close.  Dost  thou 
desire  fortune  ?  " 

The  student  held  up  his  tattered  cloak  in  reply. 

"  I  understand  thee.  If  thou  hast  faith  and  courage,  follow 
me,  and  thy  fortune  is  made." 

[338] 


THE    ENCHANTED    SOLDIER 

"  Softly,  comrade,  to  follow  thee  would  require  small  cour 
age  in  one  who  has  nothing  to  lose  but  life  and  an  old  guitar, 
neither  of  much  value  ;  but  my  faith  is  of  a  different  matter,' 
and  not  to  be  put  in  temptation.  If  it  be  any  criminal  act  by 
which  I  am  to  mend  my  fortune,  think  not  my  ragged  coat 
will  make  me  undertake  it." 

The  soldier  turned  on  him  a  look  of  high  displeasure.  "  My 
sword,"  said  he,  "  has  never  been  drawn  but  in  the  cause  of 
the  faith  and  the  throne.  I  am  a  Cristiano  viejo ;  trust  in 
me  and  fear  no  evil." 

The  student  followed  him  wondering.  He  observed  that 
no  one  heeded  their  conversation,  and  that  the  soldier  made 
his  way  through  the  various  groups  of  idlers  unnoticed,  as  if 
invisible. 

Crossing  the  bridge,  the  soldier  led  the  way  by  a  narrow 
and  steep  path  past  a  Moorish  mill  and  aqueduct,  and  up  the 
ravine  which  separates  the  domains  of  the  Generalife  from 
those  of  the  Alhambra.  The  last  ray  of  the  sun  shone  upon 
the  red  battlements  of  the  latter,  which  beetled  far  above  ; 
and  the  convent  bells  were  proclaiming  the  festival  of  the  en 
suing  day.  The  ravine  was  overshadowed  by  fig-trees,  vines, 
and  myrtles,  and  the  outer  towers  and  walls  of  the  fortress! 
It  was  dark  and  lonely,  and  the  twilight-loving  bats  began  to 
flit  about.  At  length  the  soldier  halted  at  a  remote  and  ruined 
tower,  apparently  intended  to  guard  a  Moorish  aqueduct.  He 
struck  the  foundation  with  the  but-end  of  his  spear.  A  rum 
bling  sound  was  heard,  and  the  solid  stones  yawned  apart, 
leaving  an  opening  as  wide  as  a  door. 

"  Enter  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Trinity,"  said  the  soldier, 
"and  fear  nothing."  The  student's  heart  quaked,  but  he  made 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  muttered  his  Ave  Maria,  and  followed 

[339] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

his  mysterious  guide  into  a  deep  vault  cut  out  of  the  solid 
rock  under  the  tower,  and  covered  with  Arabic  inscriptions. 
The  soldier  pointed  to  a  stone  seat  hewn  along  one  side  of 
the  vault.  "  Behold,"  said  he,  "  my  couch  for  three  hundred 
years."  The  bewildered  student  tried  to  force  a  joke.  "  By 
the  blessed  St.  Anthony,"  said  he,  "  but  you  must  have  slept 
soundly,  considering  the  hardness  of  your  couch." 

"  On  the  contrary,  sleep  has  been  a  stranger  to  these  eyes  ; 
incessant  watchfulness  has  been  my  doom.  Listen  to  my  lot. 
I  was  one  of  the  royal  guards  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  ;  but 
was  taken  prisoner  by  the  Moors  in  one  of  their  sorties,  and 
confined  a  captive  in  this  tower.  When  preparations  were 
made  to  surrender  the  fortress  to  the  Christian  sovereigns,  I 
was  prevailed  upon  by  an  Alfaqui,  a  Moorish  priest,  to  aid 
him  in  secreting  some  of  the  treasures  of  Boabdil  in  this 
vault.  I  was  justly  punished  for  my  fault.  The  Alfaqui  was 
an  African  necromancer,  and  by  his  infernal  arts,  cast  a  spell 
upon  me  —  to  guard  his  treasures.  Something  must  have 
happened  to  him,  for  he  never  returned,  and  here  have  I  re 
mained  ever  since,  buried  alive.  Years  and  years  have  rolled 
away  ;  earthquakes  have  shaken  this  hill ;  I  have  heard  stone 
by  stone  of  the  tower  above  tumbling  to  the  ground,  in  the 
natural  operation  of  time  ;  but  the  spell-bound  walls  of  this 
vault  set  both  time  and  earthquakes  at  defiance. 

"  Once  every  hundred  years,  on  the  festival  of  St.  John, 
the  enchantment  ceases  to  have  thorough  sway ;  I  am  per 
mitted  to  go  forth  and  post  myself  upon  the  bridge  of  the 
Darro,  where  you  met  me,  waiting  until  some  one  shall  arrive 
who  may  have  power  to  break  this  magic  spell.  I  have  hith 
erto  mounted  guard  there  in  vain.  I  walk  as  in  a  cloud, 
concealed  from  mortal  sight.  You  are  the  first  to  accost 

[340] 


THE    ENCHANTED    SOLDIER 

me  for  now  three  hundred  years.  I  behold  the  reason.  I  see 
on  your  finger  the  seal-ring  of  Solomon  the  Wise,  which 
is  proof  against  all  enchantment.  With  you  it  remains  to 
deliver  me  from  this  awful  dungeon,  or  to  leave  me  to  keep 
guard  here  for  another  hundred  years." 

The  student  listened  to  this  tale  in  mute  wonderment. 
He  had  heard  many  tales  of  treasures  shut  up  under  strong 
enchantment  in  the  vaults  of  the  Alhambra,  but  had  treated 
them  as  fables.  He  now  felt  the  value  of  the  seal-ring,  which 
had,  in  a  manner,  been  given  to  him  by  St.  Cyprian.  Still, 
though  armed  by  so  potent  a  talisman,  it  was  an  awful  thing 
to  find  himself  tete-a-tete  in  such  a  place  with  an  enchanted 
soldier,  who,  according  to  the  laws  of  nature,  ought  to  have 
been  quietly  in  his  grave  for  nearly  three  centuries. 

A  personage  of  this  kind,  however,  was  quite  out  of  the 
ordinary  run,  and  not  to  be  trifled  with,  and  he  assured  him 
he  might  rely  upon  his  friendship  and  good-will  to  do  every 
thing  in  his  power  for  his  deliverance.  • 

"I  trust  to  a  motive  more  powerful  than  friendship,"  said 
the  soldier. 

He  pointed  to  a  ponderous  iron  coffer,  secured  by  locks 
inscribed  with  Arabic  characters.  "That  coffer,"  said  he, 
"  contains  countless  treasure  in  gold  and  jewels  and  precious 
stones.  Break  the  magic  spell  by  which  I  am  enthralled,  and 
one  half  of  this  treasure  shall  be  thine." 

"  But  how  am  I  to  do  it  ?  " 

"  The  aid  of  a  Christian  priest  and  a  Christian  maid  is  nec 
essary.  The  priest  to  exorcise  the  powers  of  darkness ;  the 
damsel  to  touch  this  chest  with  the  seal  of  Solomon.  This 
must  be  done  at  night.  But  have  a  care.  This  is  solemn 
work,  and  not  to  be  effected  by  the  carnal-minded.  The 

134.1:] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

priest  must  be  a  Cristiano  viejo,  a  model  of  sanctity ;  and 
must  mortify  the  flesh,  before  he  comes  here,  by  a  rigorous 
fast  of  four-and-twenty  hours  :  and  as  to  the  maiden,  she 
must  be  above  reproach,  and  proof  against  temptation.  Linger 
not  in  finding  such  aid.  In  three  days  my  furlough  is  at  an 
end  ;  if  not  delivered  before  midnight  of  the  third,  I  shall 
have  to  mount  guard  for  another  century." 

"  Fear  not,"  said  the  student,  "  I  have  in  my  eye  the  very 
priest  and  damsel  you  describe ;  but  how  am  I  to  regain 
admission  to  this  tower  ?  " 

"  The  seal  of  Solomon  will  open  the  way  for  thee." 

The  student  issued  forth  from  the  tower  much  more  gayly 
than  he  had  entered.  The  wall  closed  behind  him,  and  re 
mained  solid  as  before. 

The  next  morning  he  repaired  boldly  to  the  mansion  of 
the  priest,  no  longer  a  poor  strolling  student,  thrumming 
his  way  with  a  guitar ;  but  an  ambassador  from  the  shadowy 
world,  with  enchanted  treasures  to  bestow.  No  particulars 
are  told  of  his  negotiation,  excepting  that  the  zeal  of  the 
worthy  priest  was  easily  kindled  at  the  idea  of  rescuing  an 
old  soldier  of  the  faith  and  a  strong-box  of  King  Chico  from 
the  very  clutches  of  Satan  ;  and  then  what  alms  might  be 
dispensed,  what  churches  built,  and  how  many  poor  relatives 
enriched  with  the  Moorish  treasure ! 

As  to  the  immaculate  handmaid,  she  was  ready  to  lend 
h'er  hand,  which  was  all  that  was  required,  to  the  pious  work ; 
and  if  a  shy  glance  now  and  then  might  be  believed,  the 
ambassador  began  to  find  favor  in  her  modest  eyes. 

The  greatest  difficulty,  however,  was  the  fast  to  which  the 
good  padre  had  to  subject  himself.  Twice  he  attempted  it, 
and  twice  the  flesh  was  too  strong  for  the  spirit.  It  was 

[342] 


THE    ENCHANTED    SOLDIER 

only  on  the  third  day  that  he  was  enabled  to  withstand  the 
temptations  of  the  cupboard ;  but  it  was  still  a  question 
whether  he  would  hold  out  until  the  spell  was  broken. 

At  a  late  hour  of  the  night  the  party  groped  their  way  up 
the  ravine  by  the  light  of  a  lantern,  and  bearing  a  basket 
with  provisions  for  exorcising  the  demon  of  hunger  so  soon 
as  the  other  demons  should  be  laid  in  the  Red  Sea. 

The  seal  of  Solomon  opened  their  way  into  the  tower. 
They  found  the  soldier  seated  on  the  enchanted  strong-box, 
awaiting  their  arrival.  The  exorcism  was  performed  in  due 
style.  The  damsel  advanced  and  touched  the  locks  of  the 
coffer  with  the  seal  of  Solomon.  The  lid  flew  open  ;  and 
such  treasures  of  gold  and  jewels  and  precious  stones  as 
flashed  upon  the  eye ! 

"  Here  's  cut  and  come  again  !  "  cried  the  student,  exult- 
ingly,  as  he  proceeded  to  cram  his  pockets. 

"  Fairly  and  softly,"  exclaimed  the  soldier.  "  Let  us  get 
the  coffer  out  entire,  and  then  divide." 

They  accordingly  went  to  work  with  might  and  main  ;  but 
it  was  a  difficult  task ;  the  chest  was  enormously  heavy,  and 
had  been  imbedded  there  for  centuries.  While  they  were 
thus  employed  the  good  dominie  drew  on  one  side  and  made 
a  vigorous  onslaught  on  the  basket,  by  way  of  exorcising  the 
demon  of  hunger  which  was  raging  in  his  entrails.  In  a  little 
while  a  fat  capon  was  devoured,  and  washed  down  by  a  deep 
potation  of  Valdepefias  ;  and,  by  way  of  grace  after  meat,  he 
gave  a  kind-hearted  kiss  to  the  pet-lamb  who  waited  on  him. 
It  was  quietly  done  in  a  corner,  but  the  tell-tale  walls  babbled 
it  forth  as  if  in  triumph.  Never  was  chaste  salute  more  awful 
in  its  effects.  At  the  sound  the  soldier  gave  a  great  cry  of 
despair;  the  coffer,  which  was  half  raised,  fell  back  in  its 

[343] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

place  and  was  locked  once  more.  Priest,  student,  and  damsel 
found  themselves  outside  of  the  tower,  the  wall  of  which 
closed  with  a  thundering  jar.  Alas  !  the  good  padre  had 
broken  his  fast  too  soon  ! 

When  recovered  from  his  surprise,  the  student  would  have 
re-entered  the  tower,  but  learnt  to  his  dismay  that  the  damsel, 
in  her  fright,  had  let  fall  the  seal  of  Solomon  ;  it  remained 
within  the  vault. 

In  a  word,  the  cathedral  bell  tolled  midnight ;  the  spell 
was  renewed ;  the  soldier  was  doomed  to  mount  guard  for 
another  hundred  years,  and  there  he  and  the  treasure  remain 
to  this  day  —  and  all  because  the  kind-hearted  padre  kissed 
his  handmaid.  "  Ah,  father !  father !  "  said  the  student, 
shaking  his  head  ruefully,  as  they  returned  down  the  ravine, 
"  I  fear  there  was  less  of  the  saint  than  the  sinner  in  that 
kiss !  " 

Thus  ends  the  legend  as  far  as  it  has  been  authenticated. 
There  is  a  tradition,  however,  that  the  student  had  brought 
off  treasure  enough  in  his  pocket  to  set  him  up  in  the  world  ; 
that  he  prospered  in  his  affairs,  that  the  worthy  padre  gave 
him  the  pet-lamb  in  marriage,  by  way  of  amends  for  the 
blunder  in  the  vault ;  that  the  immaculate  damsel  proved  a 
pattern  for  wives  as  she  had  been  for  handmaids. 

The  story  of  the  enchanted  soldier  remains  one  of  the 
popular  traditions  of  Granada,  though  told  in  a  variety  of 
ways  ;  the  common  people  affirm  that  he  still  mounts  guard 
on  midsummer  eve,  beside  the  gigantic  stone  pomegranate 
on  the  bridge  of  the  Darro  ;  but  remains  invisible  excepting 
to  such  lucky  mortal  as  may  possess  the  seal  of  Solomon. 


[344] 


;    -  ^£^"    ^^<»».r5;    « > ; -aiflWPfc          -^ 

^W5p55S'*w3>/sr  %i*\t: 


THE  AUTHOR'S  FAREWELL  TO  GRANADA 

"Y  SERENE  and  happy  reign  in  the  Alhambra 
was  suddenly  brought  to  a  close  by  letters  which 
reached  me,  while  indulging  in  Oriental  luxury 
in  the  cool  hall  of  the  baths,  summoning  me  away  from  my 
Moslem  elysium,  to  mingle  once  more  in  the  bustle  and  busi 
ness  of  the  dusty  world.  How  was  I  to  encounter  its  toils 
and  turmoils,  after  such  a  life  of  repose  and  reverie  !  How 
was  I  to  endure  its  commonplace,  after  the  poetry  of  the 
Alhambra  ! 

But  little  preparation  was  necessary  for  my  departure.  A 
two-wheeled  vehicle,  called  a  tartana,  very  much  resembling 
a  covered  cart,  was  to  be  the  travelling  equipage  of  a  young 
Englishman  and  myself  through  Murcia,  to  Alicant  and 
Valencia,  on  our  way  to  France  ;  and  a  long-limbed  varlet, 

[345] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

who  had  been  a  contrabandista,  and,  for  aught  I  knew,  a 
robber,  was  to  be  our  guide  and  guard.  The  preparations 
were  soon  made,  but  the  departure  was  the  difficulty.  Day 
after  day  was  it  postponed  ;  day  after  day  was  spent  in  lin 
gering  about  my  favorite  haunts,  and  day  after  day  they 
appeared  more  delightful  in  my  eyes. 

The  social  and  domestic  little  world  also,  in  which  I  had 
been  moving,  had  become  singularly  endeared  to  me  ;  and 
the  concern  evinced  by  them  at  my  intended  departure,  con 
vinced  me  that  my  kind  feelings  were  reciprocated.  Indeed, 
when  at  length  the  day  arrived,  I  did  not  dare  venture  upon 
a  leave-taking  at  the  good  Dame  Antonia's ;  I  saw  the  soft 
heart  of  little  Dolores,  at  least,  was  brimful  and  ready  for  an 
overflow.  So  I  bade  a  silent  adieu  to  the  palace  and  its  in 
mates,  and  descended  into  the  city  as  if  intending  to  return. 
There,  however,  the  tartana  and  the  guide  were  ready ; 
so,  after  taking  a  noon-day's  repast  with  my  fellow-traveller 
at  the  posado,  I  set  out  with  him  on  our  journey. 

Humble  was  the  cortege  and  melancholy  the  departure  of 
El  Rey  Chico  the  Second !  Manuel,  the  nephew  of  Tia  An- 
tonia,  Mateo,  my  officious  but  now  disconsolate  squire,  and 
two  or  three  old  invalids  of  the  Alhambra,  with  whom  I  had 
grown  into  gossiping  companionship,  had  come  down  to  see 
me  off ;  for  it  is  one  of  the  good  old  customs  of  Spain,  to 
sally  forth  several  miles  to  meet  a  coming  friend,  and  to 
accompany  him  as  far  on  his  departure.  Thus  then  we  set 
out,  our  long-legged  guard  striding  ahead,  with  his  escopeta 
on  his  shoulder ;  Manuel  and  Mateo  on  each  side  of  the 
tartana,  and  the  old  invalids  behind. 

At  some  little  distance  to  the  north  of  Granada,  the  road 
gradually  ascends  the  hills  ;  here  I  alighted  and  walked  up 

[346] 


FAREWELL    TO    GRANADA 

slowly  with  Manuel,  who  took  this  occasion  to  confide  to  me 
the  secret  of  his  heart  and  of  all  those  tender  concerns  be 
tween  himself  and  Dolores,  with  which  I  had  been  already 
informed  by  the  all-knowing  and  all-revealing  Mateo  Ximenes. 
His  doctor's  diploma  had  prepared  the  way  for  their  union, 
and,  if  he  could  get  the  post  of  Medico  of  the  fortress,  his 
happiness  would  be  complete !  I  congratulated  him  on  the 
judgment  and  good  taste  he  had  shown  in  his  choice  of  a 
helpmate  ;  and  invoked  all  possible  felicity  on  their  union. 

It  was  indeed  a  sorrowful  parting  when  I  took  leave  of 
these  good  people  and  saw  them  slowly  descend  the  hills ; 
now  and  then  turning  round  to  wave  me  a  last  adieu.  Manuel, 
it  is  true,  had  cheerful  prospects  to  console  him,  but  poor 
Mateo  seemed  perfectly  cast  down.  It  was  to  him  a  grievous 
fall  from  the  station  of  prime-minister  and  historiographer, 
to  his  old  brown  cloak  and  his  starveling  mystery  of  ribbon- 
weaving  ;  and  the  poor  devil,  notwithstanding  his  occasional 
officiousness,  had,  somehow,  or  other,  acquired  a  stronger 
hold  on  my  sympathies  than  I  was  aware  of.  It  would  have 
really  been  a  consolation  in  parting,  could  I  have  anticipated 
the  good  fortune  in  store  for  him,  and  to  which  I  had  con 
tributed  ;  for  the  importance  I  had  appeared  to  give  to  his 
tales  and  gossip  and  local  knowledge,  and  the  frequent  com 
panionship  in  which  I  had  indulged  him  in  the  course  of  my 
strolls,  had  elevated  his  idea  of  his  own  qualifications  and 
opened  a  new  career  to  him  ;  and  the  son  of  the  Alhambra 
has  since  become  its  regular  and  well-paid  cicerone ;  inso 
much  that  I  am  told  he  has  never  been  obliged  to  resume 
the  ragged  old  brown  cloak  in  which  I  first  found  him. 

Towards  sunset  I  came  to  where  the  road  wound  into  the 
mountains,  and  here  I  paused  to  take  a  last  look  at  Granada. 

[347] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

The  hill  on  which  I  stood  commanded  a  glorious  view  of 
the  city,  the  Vega,  and  the  surrounding  mountains.  It  was 
at  an  opposite  point  of  the  compass  from  La  Cuesta  de  las 
Lagrimas  (the  Hill  of  Tears)  noted  for  the  "  last  sigh  of 
the  Moor."  I  now  could  realize  something  of  the  feelings 
of  poor  Boabdil  when  he  bade  adieu  to  the  paradise  he  was 
leaving  behind,  and  beheld  before  him  a  rugged  and  sterile 
road  conducting  him  to  exile. 

The  setting  sun  as  usual  shed  a  melancholy  effulgence  on 
the  ruddy  towers  of  the  Alhambra.  I  could  faintly  discern 
the  balconied  window  of  the  Tower  of  Comares,  where  I  had 
indulged  in  so  many  delightful  reveries.  The  bosky  groves 
and  gardens  about  the  city  were  richly  gilded  with  the  sun 
shine,  the  purple  haze  of  a  summer  evening  was  gathering 
over  the  Vega  ;  everything  was  lovely,  but  tenderly  and  sadly 
so,  to  my  parting  gaze. 

"  I  will  hasten  from  this  prospect,"  thought  I,  "  before  the 
sun  is  set.  I  will  carry  away  a  recollection  of  it  clothed  in 
all  its  beauty." 

With  these  thoughts  I  pursued  my  way  among  the  moun 
tains.  A  little  farther  and  Granada,  the.  Vega,  and  the 
Alhambra  were  shut  from  my  view  ;  and  thus  ended  one  of 
the  pleasantest  dreams  of  a  life,  which  the  reader  perhaps 
may  think  has  been  but  too  much  made  up  of  dreams. 


[348] 


NOTES 


THE  JOURNEY 

PAGE  3.  The  author's  traveling  companion  was  Prince  Dolgorouki, 
who  was  the  Russian  minister  at  the  court  of  Persia  when  the 
revised  edition  of  "The  Alhambra"  was  published  in  1851. 

PAGE  6.  Gibraltar  is  derived  from  the  Arabic  and  means  "  the  moun 
tain  of  Tarik."  Tarik  was  the  commander  of  the  Moorish  and  Berber 
forces  who  overthrew  King  Roderick  and  opened  the  country  to 
the  Moors. 

PAGE  8.  From  the  first  of  the  eighth  until  the  end  of  the  fifteenth 
century  southern  Spain  was  the  scene  of  an  almost  constant  conflict 
for  supremacy  between  the  Moslems,  or  Mohammedans,  and  the 
Christians.  In  711  an  invading  force  of  Arabs  and  Berbers  crossed 
over  from  northern  Africa  and  attacked  the  Spaniards  at  the  Guada- 
lete  River,  where  they  fought  the  greatest  battle  in  early  Spanish  his 
tory.  The  king  of  Spain,  Roderick,  was  killed  with  the  flower  of 
his  army.  This  opened  the  way  for  the  easy  conquest  of  the  country. 
At  once  hordes  of  Mohammedan  immigrants  poured  in  and  within 
a  few  years  gained  control  of  nearly  all  the  territory  south  of  the 
Pyrenees.  Next  they  crossed  into  France,  hoping  to  extend  their 
conquest  over  much  of  western  Europe,  but  after  some  few  successes 
they  were  repulsed  in  a  hard-fought  battle  near  Tours  in  732.  This 
ended  their  attempts  to  extend  their  conquest  beyond  Spain.  During 
the  next  five  centuries  they  conducted,  with  varied  success,  a  pictur 
esque  warfare  with  the  kingdoms  which  then  made  up  the  Spanish 
peninsula.  By  1250  they  had  been  forced  back  into  the  south  of 
Spain,  where  for  two  centuries  more  they  held  control  of  the  moun 
tainous  kingdom  of  Granada,  from  which  they  were  finally  driven 
in  1492  by  Ferdinand  and  Isabella. 

This  Mohammedan  invasion  influenced  Spain  in  a  way  that  made 
its  history  peculiarly  different  from  that  of  any  of  the  other  Euro 
pean  states.  The  Moors,  as  the  Mohammedans  of  the  country  were 

[349] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

called,  developed  their  civilization  to  its  highest  level  at  a  time  when 
the  rest  of  Europe  was  passing  through  one  of  its  darkest  periods. 
Agriculture,  commerce,  science,  and  the  arts  flourished  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Moors  and  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  country, 
who  had  become  more  or  less  amalgamated  into  a  single  nation. 
Universities  were  filled  with  thousands  of  students.  The  cities  were 
beautified  until  they  were  a  delight  to  behold.  In  the  city  of  Cordova 
alone,  with  its  half  million  inhabitants,  were  three  thousand  mosques, 
a  number  of  stately  palaces,  three  hundred  public  baihs,  and  a  famous 
university.  The  city  was  probably  at  that  time  without  an  equal 
anywhere  in  the  world. 

The  magnificent  palace  of  the  Alhambra  (so  called  from  the  Arabic 
word  al-hamra'u,  "  red,"  on  account  of  the  coral  tint  of  the  plaster 
on  its  walls)  was  built  for  the  Moorish  kings  of  Granada,  and  is  a 
worthy  example  of  the  culture  of  the  period.  It  was  the  greatest 
achievement  of  Arabic  architecture. 

For  an  admirable  account  of  the  conflict  that  prevailed  between 
the  Christians  and  the  Mohammedans  during  these  times,  one  should 
consult  Irving's  "  Conquest  of  Granada." 

PAGE  10.  Sancho  :  Sancho  Panza  was  the  servant  of  Don  Quixote,  the 
story  of  whose  exploits  is  the  most  famous  romance  in  Spanish  liter 
ature.  It  was  written  by  Cervantes  (first  published  in  Madrid,  1605), 
and  represents  a  weak-minded  country  gentleman  of  inflammable 
temperament  who  had  spent  much  of  his  time  reading  tales  of  chiv 
alry.  With  his  squire,  Sancho  Panza,  he  goes  in  quest  of  knightly 
adventure,  of  which  his  excited  imagination  finds  no  end.  To  him 
windmills  become  giants,  solitary  inns  are  castles,  and  galley  slaves 
seem  to  be  oppressed  gentlemen.  His  ludicrous  efforts  to  perform 
knightly  service  and  Sancho  Panza's  humorous  statements  of  the 
truthful  condition  of  affairs  have  furnished  rich  entertainment  to  the 
readers  of  Spanish  and  to  those  also  of  the  many  languages  into 
which  "  Don  Quixote  "  has  been  translated. 

Cervantes  wrote  "  Don  Quixote  "  as  a  parody  upon  many  of  the 
absurd  works  of  chivalry  that  had  been  published,  and  also  as  a  pro 
test  against  a  then  popular  prejudice  against  all  kinds  of  useful  labor. 
PAGE  1 1 .  Alcald  is  a  word  derived  from  the  Arabic,  meaning  a  "  castle." 

"It  may  be  as  well  to  note  here  that  the  alforjas  are  square  pockets 
at  each  end  of  a  long  cloth  about  a  foot  and  a  half  wide,  formed  by 

[35°] 


NOTES 

turning  up  its  extremities.  The  cloth  is  then  thrown  over  the  saddle, 
and  the  pockets  hang  on  each  side  like  saddlebags.  It  is  an  Arab 
invention.  The  bota  is  a  leathern  bag  or  bottle,  of  portly  dimensions, 
with  a  narrow  neck.  It  is  also  oriental.  Hence  the  scriptural  caution 
which  perplexed  me  in  my  boyhood,  not  to  put  new  wine  into  old 
bottles."  — Irving 

PAGE  19.    caballeroing :  addressing  them  as  gentlemen. 

PAGE  28.   orison  :  prayer. 

PAGE  30.  spatterdashes  :  a  covering  for  the  legs  to  protect  the  trousers 
and  stockings. 

PAGE  31 .  Don  :  a  Spanish  title  meaning  "  Sir  "  or  "  Mr.,"  of  somewhat 
more  dignity  than  Senor. 

PAGE  36.  According  to  the  legend,  Count  Julian  was  commander  of 
Ceuta,  one  of  the  strongest  Spanish  forts  on  the  north  coast  of 
Africa.  For  an  insult  offered  to  his  daughter  by  Roderick,  the 
Spanish  king,  Count  Julian  delivered  his  fortress  to  the  Moors  and 
entered  their  army. 

The  Vega  of  Granada  was  a  great  plain  over  a  hundred  miles  in 
circumference,  surrounded  by  lofty  mountains,  and  cultivated  with 
such  care  that  it  appeared  like  a  vast  garden. 

PAGE  37.  Gil  Bias :  the  hero  of  a  French  romance  of  the  same  name 
by  Le  Sage,  published  in  1715.  In  many  ways  Gil  Bias  is  to  the 
French  what  Don  Quixote  is  to  the  Spanish. 

PALACE  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA 

PAGE  39.  The  Caaba,  or  Kaaba,  is  a  cube-shaped,  flat-roofed  building 
in  the  center  of  the  great  mosque  at  Mecca,  the  most  sacred  shrine 
of  the  Moslems,  or  Mohammedans.  It  contains  the  sacred  black 
stone  said  to  have  been  originally  a  ruby  that  came  down  from 
heaven,  toward  which  all  Moslems  face  during  their  devotions. 

PAGE  40.  royal  demesne :  estates  under  the  immediate  control  of  the 
crown. 

PAGE  43.  Puerta  de  las  Granadas :  Gate  of  the  Pomegranates.  The 
word  Granada  means  "  Pomegranate,"  and  on  the  arms  of  the  city 
the  pomegranate  is  inscribed. 

Zegris  and  the  A bencer rages :  two  Moorish  families  of  Granada 
famous  in  Spanish  romance.  They  were  supposed  to  have  been  bitter 

[35'] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

enemies,  struggling  against  each  other  constantly,  and  to  have  met  a 
tragic  destruction  in  the  Alhambra  at  the  hands  of  King  Abu  Hassan. 

PAGE  45.  Mohammedanism  is  known  as  the  religion  of  Islam,  mean 
ing  entire  submission  to  the  will  of  God.  It  was  founded  by  Mo 
hammed  in  the  early  part  of  the  seventh  century,  and  is  based  chiefly 
upon  the  teachings  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  additions  and  altera 
tions.  The  Bible  of  the  Mohammedans  is  the  Koran,  and  it  contains 
much  of  the  Old  Testament,  although  Mohammed  presented  it  as 
having  come  to  him  in  the  form  of  original  revelations  from  the 
angel  Gabriel. 

Mohammed  was  born  at  Mecca  about  570  A.D.,  and  was  brought 
up  in  the  desert.  When  about  forty  years  old  he  spent  much  of  his 
time  in  contemplation,  doubtless  due  to  the  effect  upon  his  mind  of 
what  he  had  gathered  from  his  contact  with  Judaism,  Christianity, 
and  Arabic  lore,  chiefly  on  two  journeys  to  Syria.  He  soon  declared 
himself  to  be  the  subject  of  revelations  which  convinced  him  that 
he  was  the  apostle  and  prophet  of  God.  His  first  converts  were 
members  of  his  family,  who  were  followed  by  a  number  of  his  friends 
until  his  adherents  numbered  about  fifty.  The  people  of  Mecca  in 
614  rose  against  him,  and  a  part  of  his  followers  fled  to  Abyssinia 
for  safety.  His  converts  increased  at  first  by  small  numbers,  but  as 
time  passed,  his  teachings  spread  with  growing  rapidity,  especially  in 
Medina.  In  622  the  Meccans  again  opposed  him,  and  he  was  com 
pelled  to  flee  from  their  city  to  Medina  on  the  twentieth  of  June  of 
that  year.  This  is  known  as  the  hejira  (the  flight)  and  marks  the 
beginning  of  the  Mohammedan  Era.  From  this  time  on  military 
aggressiveness  was  combined  with  religious  zeal,  and  Mohammed 
in  624  won  a  battle  from  the  Meccans.  The  following  year  he  was 
defeated  by  them  in  another  conflict.  The  success  of  his  religious 
campaign  increased  steadily,  however,  and  one  tribe  of  Arabs  after 
another  was  converted  until  in  631  a  rather  definite  Mohammedan 
Empire  was  established.  In  632,  the  year  in  which  he  made  his  last 
pilgrimage  to  Mecca,  he  died  while  planning  an  expedition  against 
the  Byzantine  Empire.  His  followers  carried  on  their  conquests 
over  Syria,  Persia,  and  into  Spain,  and  finally  captured  Constanti 
nople,  extending  their  belief  until  it  embraced  millions  of  people. 

PAGE  48.  cufic :  the  kind  of  characters  used  in  ancient  times  in  the 
sacred  Mohammedan  books. 


NOTES 

PAGE  52.    apocryphal :  of  doubtful  authority. 

parterres :  arrangements  of  flower  beds  of  varying  shapes  with 
walks  between. 

PAGE  53.  "  To  an  unpracticed  eye  the  light  relievos  and  fanciful  ara 
besques  which  cover  the  walls  of  the  Alhambra  appear  to  have  been 
sculptured  by  the  hand,  with  a  minute  and  patient  labor,  an  inex 
haustible  variety  of  detail,  yet  a  general  uniformity  and  harmony  of 
design  truly  astonishing;  and  this  may  especially  be  said  of  the 
vaults  and  cupolas,  which  are  wrought  like  honeycombs,  or  frost 
work,  with  stalactites  and  pendants  which  confound  the  beholder 
with  the  seeming  intricacy  of  their  patterns.  The  astonishment 
ceases,  however,  when  it- is  discovered  that  this  is  all  stucco-work; 
plates  of  plaster  of  Paris,  cast  in  moulds  and  skilfully  joined  so  as 
to  form  patterns  of  every  size  and  form.  This  mode  of  diapering 
walls  with  arabesques,  and  stuccoing  the  vaults  with  grotto-work, 
was  invented  in  Damascus,  but  highly  improved  by  the  Moors  in 
Morocco,  to  whom  Saracenic  architecture  owes  its  most  graceful  and 
fanciful  details.  The  process  by  which  all  this  fairy  tracery  was  pro 
duced  was  ingeniously  simple.  The  wall  in  its  naked  state  was  di 
vided  off  by  lines  crossing  at  right  angles,  such  as  artists  use  in 
copying  a  picture ;  over  these  were  drawn  a  succession  of  intersect 
ing  segments  of  circles.  By  the  aid  of  these  the  artists  could  work 
with  celerity  and  certainty,  and  from  the  mere  intersection  of  the 
plain  and  curved  lines  arose  the  interminable  variety  of  patterns  and 
the  general  uniformity  of  their  character.1 

"  Much  gilding  was  used  in  the  stucco-work,  especially  of  the  cu 
polas ;  and  the  interstices  were  delicately  pencilled  with  brilliant 
colors,  such  as  vermilion  and  lapis  lazuli,  laid  on  with  the  whites  of 
eggs.  The  primitive  colors  alone  were  used,  says  Ford,  by  the 
Egyptians,  Greeks,  and  Arabs,  in  the  early  period  of  art ;  and  they 
prevail  in  the  Alhambra  whenever  the  artist  has  been  Arabic  or 
Moorish.  It  is  remarkable  how  much  of  their  original  brilliancy 
remains  after  the  lapse  of  several  centuries. 

"  The  lower  part  of  the  walls  in  the  saloons,  to  the  height  of  several 
feet,  is  incrusted  with  glazed  tiles,  joined  like  the  plates  of  stucco- 
work,  so  as  to  form  various  patterns.    On  some  of  them  are  emblaz 
oned  the  escutcheons  of  the  Moslem  kings,  traversed  with  a  band 
1  See  Urquhart,  Pillars  of  Hercules,  Book  III,  chap.  viii. 

[353] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

and  motto.  These  glazed  tiles  (azulejos  in  Spanish,  az-zulaj  in 
Arabic)  are  of  Oriental  origin ;  their  coolness,  cleanliness,  and  free 
dom  from  vermin  render  them  admirably  fitted  in  sultry  climates  for 
paving  halls  and  fountains,  incrusting  bathing-rooms,  and  lining  the 
walls  of  chambers.  Ford  is  inclined  to  give  them  great  antiquity. 
From  their  prevailing  colors,  sapphire  and  blue,  he  deduces  that  they 
may  have  formed  the  kind  of  pavements  alluded  to  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures :  "  There  was  under  his  feet  as  it  were  a  paved  work  of 
a  sapphire  stone"  (Exod.  xxiv,  10);  and  again,  "Behold  I  will  lay 
thy  stones  with  fair  colors,  and  lay  thy  foundations  with  sapphires  " 
(Isa.  liv,  u). 

"  These  glazed  or  porcelain  tiles  were  introduced  into  Spain  at  an 
early  date  by  the  Moslems.  Some  are  to  be  seen  among  the  Moor 
ish  ruins  which  have  been  there  upwards  of  eight  centuries.  Manu 
factures  of  them  still  exist  in  the  Peninsula,  and  they  are  much  used 
in  the  best  Spanish  houses,  especially  in  the  southern  provinces,  for 
paving  and  lining  the  summer  apartments. 

11  The  Spaniards  introduced  them  into  the  Netherlands  when  they 
had  possession  of  that  country.  The  people  of  Holland  adopted 
them  with  avidity,  as  wonderfully  suited  to  their  passion  for  house 
hold  cleanliness ;  and  thus  these  Oriental  inventions  have  come  to 
be  commonly  known  as  Dutch  tiles."  —  Irving 

IMPORTANT  NEGOTIATIONS  — THE  AUTHOR  SUCCEEDS 
TO  THE  THRONE  OF  BOABDIL 

PAGE  54.  Boabdil  was  the  last  of  the  Moorish  kings  to  rule  over  Gra 
nada.  It  was  he  who  surrendered  the  Alhambra  to  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella  in  1492. 

PAGE  55.  bivouac:  a  military  term  meaning  to  pass  the  night  in  the 
open  air,  without  encamping,  ready  for  action.  Here  it  means  to 
sleep  without  a  regular  bed. 

PAGE  56.  perquisites:  something  received  in  addition  to  regular  wages ; 
fees;  tips. 

PAGE  58.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church  prohibits  marriage  between 
persons  who  are  related  within  certain  degrees.  This  prohibition 
may  in  some  cases  be  removed  by  the  church  authorities  who,  by 
virtue  of  their  office,  have  been  given  power  by  the  Pope  to  grant 
dispensations. 

[354] 


NOTES 

INHABITANTS  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA 

PAGE  64.  Scheherazade :  the  character  who  relates  the  stories  in  the 
Arabian  Nights. 

marker  of  a  fives-court :  one  who  keeps  score  for  a  ball  game 
called  Fives. 

PAGE  65.  Agamemnon  and  Achilles :  in  Greek  legendary  history  the 
two  who  were  most  prominent  in  the  capture  of  Troy.  Homer's 
Iliad  tells  of  the  ten  years'  siege  of  Troy  and  of  many  of  the  deeds 
of  these  heroes. 

PAGE  66.  quarterings :  in  the  Middle  Ages  emblems  or  devices  were 
pictured  on  the  shields  of  knights,  and  afterwards  embroidered  on 
the  surcoat  or  garment  worn  over  the  coat  of  mail ;  from  this  came 
the  designation  "  coat  of  arms."  These  devices  were  of  practical  use, 
since  they  identified  the  wearer,  whose  face,  when  in  battle,  was 
concealed  by  the  visor  of  his  helmet. 

At'  first  every  knight  chose  his  emblem  according  to  his  fancy, 
and  all  sorts  of  animals,  imaginary  monsters,  plants,  and  forms  of 
many  other  objects  were  used.  When  possible,  the  symbol  suggested 
the  name,  title,  or  some  distinguishing  quality  of  its  bearer  —  a 
custom  which  has  its  counterpart  among  the  American  Indians. 

As  these  coats  of  arms  became  numerous,  great  confusion  arose, 
for  the  same  emblem  was  often  taken  by  different  knights.  In  the 
course  of  time  it  was  found  necessary  to  regulate  the  bearing  of 
coats  of  arms,  as  they  were  made  hereditary  and  descended  from 
their  original  bearer  to  his  heirs. 

This  regulation  respecting  coats  of  arms  was  intrusted  to  heralds, 
who  were  officers  appointed  by  their  sovereigns,  and  who  had  vari 
ous  other  duties  to  perform,  such  as  to  marshal  processions,  super 
intend  public  ceremonies,  bear  messages  of  courtesy  or  defiance 
between  princes  or  knights,  and  to  take  charge  of  tournaments, 
justs,  and  all  other  exercises  of  chivalry. 

An  escutcheon  represents  an  old  knightly  shield,  with  a  coat  of 
arms  depicted  upon  it. 

Where  a  family  is  entitled  by  inheritance  to  bear  several  coats  of 
arms,  the  escutcheon  is  divided  into  parts  called  quarterings,  upon 
each  of  which  the  different  emblems  are  emblazoned. 


[355] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 

PAGE  67.  The  reference  is  to  the  opening  lines  of  scene  vi,  in  Act  I 
of  "  Macbeth." 

DUNCAN.    This  castle  hath  a  pleasant  seat;  the  air 
Nimbly  and  sweetly  recommends  itself 
Unto  our  gentle  senses. 

BANQUO.  This  guest  of  summer, 

The  temple-haunting  martlet,  does  approve, 
By  his  loved  mansionry,  that  the  heaven's  breath 
Smells  wooingly  here  :  no  jutty,  frieze, 
Buttress,  nor  coign  of  vantage,  but  this  bird 
Hath  made  his  pendent  bed  and  procreant  cradle  : 
Where  they  most  breed  and  haunt,  I  have  observed, 
The  air  is  delicate. 

THE  HALL  OF  AMBASSADORS 

PAGE  69.    spandrels  :  the  spaces  between  adjoining  arches. 
PAGK  72.    Crescent :  the  crescent,  or  figure  of  the  new  moon,  is  used  for 
the  symbol  of  Mohammedanism. 

ALHAMAR,  THE  FOUNDER  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA 

PAGE  77.    santon  :  a  Moslem  saint  or  hermit. 

PAGE  78.  The  battle  of  Las  Navas  de  Tolosa,  one  of  the  most  famous 
in  Spanish  history,  was  fought  between  the  Spanish  and  the  Moors 
in  1 21 2.  It  was  a  great  victory  for  the  Spanish  and  marks  the  be 
ginning  of  the  decline  of  the  Moorish  Empire  in  Spain. 

PAGE  80.    Cortes  :  assembly  of  the  states  ;  the  legislative  body  of  Spain. 

YUSEF  ABUL  HAGIG 

PAGE  86.  The  battle  of  Salado  was  fought  October  30,  1340,  on  the 
banks  of  the  small  river  Salado.  After  their  utter  defeat  in  this 
battle  the  Moors  made  no  further  attempts  to  conquer  Spain. 

THE  MYSTERIOUS  CHAMBERS 

PAGE  90.    Pepe :  this  is  the  diminutive  form  of  Joseph. 

PAGE  92.  belvedere :  a  small  structure  on  the  top  of  a  building  open 
ing  on  some  attractive  prospect  on  one  or  more  sides.  The  word 
means  "beautiful  view." 

[356] 


NOTES 

"  One  of  the  things  in  which  the  Moorish  kings  interfered  was 
the  marriage  of  their  nobles ;  hence  it  came  that  all  the  senors  at 
tached  to  the  royal  person  were  married  in  the  palace ;  and  there 
was  always  a  chamber  destined  for  the  ceremony."  — Irving 
PAGE  101.  Albaicin  :  this  section  is  now  largely  inhabited  by  the  so- 
called  Gipsies,  although  formerly  it  was  the  seat  of  the  Moorish 
nobility. 

PANORAMA  FROM  THE  TOWER  OF  COMARES 

PAGE  104.  Ibn  Batuta :  a  famous  Arabian  traveler  and  geographer, 
born  at  Tangier  about  1377.  Among  the  lands  which  he  visited 
were  northern  and  central  Africa,  western  and  central  Asia,  Russia, 
India,  and  China.  His  "  Travels  "  have  been  translated  into  several 
languages. 

THE  BALCONY 

PAGE  112.  matin  bell:  the  bell  for  morning  prayer;  the  vesper  bell 
is  the  call  for  evening  prayer. 

THE  COURT  OF  LIONS 

PAGE  120.  phantasmagoria:  a  series  of  illusive  images  or  fancies. 
PAGE  122.    armorial  ensigns  :  flags  bearing  coats  of  arms. 
Te  Deum :  a  Christian  hymn  of  ancient  origin. 

MEMENTOS  OF   BOABDIL 

PAGE  132.  The  minor  details  of  the  surrender  of  Granada  were  stated 
in  different  ways  even  by  eyewitnesses.  Irving,  in  his  "  Conquest 
of  Granada,"  endeavored  to  adjust  them  according  to  what  seemed 
to  be  the  best  authorities. 

LEGEND  OF  THE  ARABIAN  ASTROLOGER 

PAGE  1 50.    ottoman  :  a  stuffed  seat  without  a  back,  or  a  circular  seat 

for  a  number  of  people,  originally  used  in  Turkey. 
PAGE  156.    deruise  :  the  name  of  a  class  of  religious  persons  among 

the  Mohammedans  who  affect  great  austerity,  living  partly  in  the 

monasteries,  and  partly  leading  a  solitary  life. 

[357] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

PAGE  157.  Solomon  the  Wise:  Arabic  legends  represent  King  Solo 
mon  to  have  had  power  over  all  sorts  of  evil  spirits,  through  whom 
he  obtained  vast  treasures  that  were  in  their  keeping.  For  disobedi 
ence  to  his  commands  many  of  these  genii  were  inclosed  in  great 
bottles  sealed  by  his  seal,  from  which  they  were  unable  to  escape. 
In  his  book  of  knowledge  was  recorded  the  charms  by  which  he 
worked  his  magic  spells.  The  Arabian  Nights  contains  a  story  of 
one  of  these  genii  who  was  sealed  in  a  bottle  by  King  Solomon. 

PAGE  1 60.  juggle :  to  play  false. 

LEGEND  OF  PRINCE  AHMED  AL  KAMEL 

PAGE  1 74.    mute :  one  who  has  been  deprived  of  speech. 

PAGE  176.  Rabbin:  a  rabbi,  literally  "my  master,"  a  title  applied  in 
modern  Jewish  usage  to  those  authorized  to  decide  legal  and  reli 
gious  matters.  By  persons  not  Hebrews  it  is  often  applied  to  any 
one  ministering  to  a  Jewish  congregation,  to  distinguish  him  from  a 
Christian  clergyman. 

PAGE  1 89.  black  art :  a  name  given  in  the  Middle  Ages  to  magic,  or 
the  performance  of  superhuman  acts  by  the  supposed  aid  of  evil 
spirits  or  supernatural  powers. 

PAGE  190.  Seville  is  called  by  the  Spaniards  "  The  beautiful  city  of  the 
Giralda."  On  the  spire  of  the  cathedral  is  a  large  statue  of  Faith, 
which  turns  with  the  wind.  It  is  from  the  verb  girar,  "to  turn,"  that 
the  statue  and  the  tower  get  their  name. 

PAGE  194.  parts  :  as  used  here,  great  talents. 

PAGE  197.  lists:  the  ground  or  field  inclosed  for  combat  between 
knights  was  called  the  lists.  To  "  enter  the  lists  "  was  to  engage  in 
a  contest. 

PAGE  200.  Fez :  the  capital  of  Morocco,  a  city  of  commercial  impor 
tance  where  many  articles  of  fine  workmanship  were  made. 

PAGE  205.  pastoral  reed:  shepherd's  pipe,  a  musical  instrument  made 
from  the  joint  of  a  reed. 


LEGEND  OF  THE  MOOR'S  LEGACY 

nse,  stoi 
ms  or  ot 

[358] 


PAGE  223.    myrrh,  frankincense,  storax :    fragrant,   aromatic   gums, 
burned  as  incense  in  religious  or  other  rites. 


NOTES 

LEGEND  OF  THE  THREE  BEAUTIFUL  PRINCESSES 

PAGE  234.    sinister  and  dexter  hands  :  left  and  right  hands,  so  called 

because  the  left  is  usually  regarded  as  the  unlucky,  or  disastrous,  side 

and  the  right  as  the  skillful,  or  dexterous,  side. 
PAGE  235.    duenna  :  same  as  duena. 
PAGE  236.    cast  the  nativity :  ascertaining  the  position  of  the  stars  at 

birth,-  by  which  it  was  supposed  that  the  events  of  one's  life  could 

be  foretold.    This  used  to  be  practiced  by  astrologers.    It  is  the  same 

as  casting  one's  horoscope. 
PAGE  242.    Hesperian  fruit :  the  golden  apples  of  the  garden  of  the 

Hesperides,  supposed  in  mythology  to  be  guarded  by  the  Hesperids, 

their  mother,  and  a  dragon. 
PAGE  244.    several :  here  it  means  "  different." 
PAGE  248.    itching  palm  :  one  is  said  to  have  an  itching  palm  when, 

figuratively  speaking,  he  has  his  hand  out  for  money  all  the  time. 
PAGE  251.    bastinado :  beat  with  a  stick  or  cudgel,  especially  on  the 

soles  of  the  feet ;  an  Eastern  punishment. 
PAGE  256.   sally-ports :   back  gates  or  doors  in  the  outer  works  of 

fortifications,  reached  by  underground  passages. 

LEGEND  OF  THE  ROSE  OF  THE  ALHAMBRA 

PAGE  264.    Antinous :  a  youth  of  much  grace  and  beauty  who  was  a 
page,  attendant,  and  favorite  of  the  Roman  emperor  Hadrian. 

gerfalcon  :  a  large  species  of  falcon  or  hawk,  a  bird  with  a  short- 
hooked  beak,  strong  claws,  and  rapid  flight.  It  was  formerly  trained 
for  the  pursuit  of  other  birds  and  game.  When  at  rest  its  eyes  were 
covered  by  a  hood,  which  was  removed  when  it  was  freed  to  pursue 
its  quarry. 

PAGE  276.    hypochondriac:  a  person  afflicted  with  extreme  melancholy. 
megrims :  lowness  of  spirits ;  whims. 

Farinelli :  born  at  Naples,  1705;  died  at  Bologna,  Italy,  1782, 
He  was  a  celebrated  soprano,  "  the  most  remarkable  singer,  perhaps, 
who  has  ever  lived  "  (Grove}. 
PAGE  280.    Paganini :  a  famous  Italian  violinist. 

THE  VETERAN 
PAGE  281.    carbonadoed :  slashed  from  fighting. 

[359] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 
THE  GOVERNOR  AND  THE  NOTARY 

PAGE  284.  Toledo :  a  sword  made  in  the  city  of  Toledo,  Spain,  where 
many  weapons  of  great  excellence  were  manufactured. 

GOVERNOR  MANGO  AND  THE  SOLDIER 

PAGE  294.    a  baggage  :  a  playful,  saucy  young  woman  ;  a  flirt 
PAGE  298.    Santiago :  St.  James. 

PAGE  308.  Valdepenas  and  Mdlaga  are  wines  that  are  highly  esteemed 
in  Spain. 

PAGE  309.  spolia  opima  :  valuable  booty  or  pillage.  In  the  history  of 
Rome,  when  a  Roman  general  killed  an  opposing  general  with  his 
own  hand  he  was  said  to  have  secured  the  spolia  opima,  which 
was  the  highest  triumph  that  he  could  attain. 

CRUSADE  OF  THE  GRAND  MASTER  OF  ALCANTARA 

PAGE  313.  cap-a-pie:  from  head  to  foot;  in  Spanish  this  is  de  pies 
a  cabeza. 

LEGEND  OF  DON  MUNIO  SANCHO  DE  HINOJOSA 
PAGE  328.  the  sepulchre  of  oiir  Lord  at  Jerusalem  :  the  Holy  Sepul- 
cher,  in  which  the  body  of  Christ  lay  between  the  time  of  his  burial 
and  resurrection.  To  recover  this  from  the  infidels  who  had  cap 
tured  Jerusalem  in  the  seventh  century,  was  the  object  of  the  Cru 
sades,  in  which  many  knights  and  others  participated.  Individual 
pilgrims  and  small  bands  also  frequently  attempted  to  reach  the 
Holy  Sepulcher. 

THE  LEGEND  OF  THE  ENCHANTED  SOLDIER 
PAGE  332.   sacristan :  an  officer  of  the  church  who  has  charge  of  the 

sacristy  and  its  contents  and  other  valuables  and  records. 
PAGE  333.  The  seal  of  Solomon  :  the  device  consists  of  two  equilat 
eral  triangles  interlaced  so  as  to  form  a  star  and  surrounded  by  a 
circle.  According  to  Arab  tradition,  when  the  Most  High  gave  Solo 
mon  the  choice  of  blessings  and  he  chose  wisdom,  there  came  from 
heaven  a  ring,  on  which  this  device  was  engraven.  This  mystic 
talisman  was  the  arcanum  of  his  wisdom,  felicity,  and  grandeur;  by 


NOTES 

this  he  governed  and  prospered.  In  consequence  of  a  temporary 
lapse  from  virtue  he  lost  the  ring  in  the  sea  and  was  at  once  reduced 
to  the  level  of  ordinary  men.  By  penitence  and  prayer  he  made  his 
peace  with  the  Deity,  was  permitted  to  find  his  ring  again  in  a  fish, 
and  thus  recovered  his  celestial  gifts.  That  he  might  not  utterly  lose 
them  again,  he  communicated  to  others  the  secret  of  the  marvelous 
ring.  The  signet  of  Solomon  the  Wise  is  believed  by  tradition  to 
have  held  potent  control  over  genii,  demons,  and  enchantments. 

PAGE  339.  Ave  Maria:  the  first  words  of  the  Latin  form  of  the  "  Hail 
Mary,"  a  prayer  of  devotion  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 

PAGE  341.    exorcise  :  to  drive  out  by  religious  or  magical  agencies. 


[361] 


VOCABULARY 


This  vocabulary  is  intended  only  to  give  the  pronunciation  of  Spanish 
and  othlr  words  with  which  the  student  or  reader  may  not  be  familiar, 
and  to  supply  at  the  same  time  as  a  matter  of  convenience  the  definitions 
of  most  of  the  Spanish  words  and  a  few  others  that  occur  in  the  text  of 
"  The  Alhambra."  In  cases  where  Spanish  and  Moorish  expressions  occur 
but  once,  and  are  accompanied  by  their  English  equivalents,  it  has  seemed 
unnecessary  to  include  the  translations  here. 

A  star  (*)  indicates  that  the  first  r  in  the  word  should  be  rolled. 

A  dagger  (f)  indicates  that  th  is  to  be  pronounced  like  th  in  this. 


Abadil  (ah  bah  deel') 

Abderahman  (ab  der  rah'mahn) 

Abencerrages  (a  ben'se  ray  jez) 

Aben  Comixa  (ah'ben  co  mee'sha) 

Aben  Hud  (ah'ben  hood') 

Abu  Ayub  (ah/boo  ah  yoob') 

adalides  (t  ah  thah  lee'thace)  guides 

Aden  (ay'den) 

Adinamar  (ah  dee  nah  mar') 

Aguilar  (ah  ghee  lar') 

Ah,  dios   senores  (ah'  dyohs'   [one 

syllable}  say  nyo'race) 
Ahmed  (ah'med) 
aigrette  (ai  gret')  a  flume  or  tuft  of 

feathers  or  gems 
Aira  (i'rah) 

Alameda  (ah  lah  may'dah) 
Albaicin  (ahl  by  theen') 
Alberca  (ahl  ber'cah) 


stitff;  cloak  which  forms  part  of  the 
Moorish  dress 
alcaide  (al  ky'day) 


Alcala  de  Guadaira  (ahl  cah  lah'  day 

gwah  di'rah) 
Alcala  la  Real  (ahl  cah  lah'  lah  *ray- 

ahl') 

alcalde  (ahl  cahl'day)  governor 
Alcantara  (ahl  cahn'tah  rah) 
Alcaudete  (ahl  cow  day'tay) 
alcazar  (al  cah'thar)  an  Arabic  word 

meaning  a  fortified  castle 
Aldegonda  (ahl  day  gon'dah) 
Alfaqui  (al  fah  kee') 
alforjas  (ahl  for'hahs)  saddlebags 
alguazil  (ahl  gwah  theel')  a  constable 
Alhamar  (ah  lah  mar') 
AH  Atar  (ah  lee'  ah  tar') 
Al  Kamel  (al  kah'mel) 
Allah  Akbar  (al  lah'  ak'bar) 
Allifra  (ah  lyee'frah) 
Al  Makkari  (al  mak  kah  ree') 
Almeria  (ahl  may  ree'ah) 
Alonzo  Fernandez  de  Cordova  (ah- 

lon  tho  fehr  nahn'dayth  day  cor'- 

do  vah) 


[363] 


THE    ALHAMBRA 


Alpuxarra  (*  ahl  poo  hah'rah) 
Andalusia  (an  da  loo'shi  a) 
Andaluz  (ahn  dah  looth') 
Angosturas  (an  gos  too'rahs) 
Antiquera  (ahn  tee  kay'rah) 
Aqui  yaz  aquel  que  par  neua  cosa 
nunca  eve  pavor  en  seu  corazon 
(ah  kee'   yahth'  ah  kel'  kay  par 
nay'wah  co'sah   noon'cah  ay'vay 
pah  vor'  en  seow  co  rah  thon') 
Arahal  (ah  rah  ahl') 
Archidona  (ar  chee  do'nah) 
Armu  (ar'moo) 

arrieros  (*  ah  ryay'rohs)  carriers 
Asturian  (as  too'ri  an) 
atalaya  (ah  tah  lah'yah)  watch-tower 
Avellanos  (ah  vay  lyah'nohs) 
Ave  Maria  (ah'vay  mah  ree'ah) 
Ay  de  mi  (i'day  mee')  woe  is  me! 
Ayxa  la  Horra  (ah'ee  sha  lah  hor'ra) 

bandolero  (ban  do  lay'ro)  outlaw 

barranco  (*  bah  rahn'co)  fissiire  in 
a  hill 

basquina  (bahskee'nyah)  Tipper petti 
coat  worn  by  Spanish  women 

bastinado  (bas  tin  ay'do) 

belvedere  (bel  vay  day 'ray)  "  beauti 
ful  view  "  ;  see  notes 

bendito  sea  tal  pan  (bendee'to  say'- 
ah  tahl'  pahn') 

Beni  Nasar  (beh  nee'  nah'sar) 

Boabdil  (bo  ahb  deel') 

bolero  (bo  lay'ro)  a  Spanish  dance 
with  muck  movement  of  the  arms 

bon  mot  (bong  mo') 

bota  (bo'tah)  leathern  bottle 

bottinas  (bo  tee'nahs)  spatterdashes 

bragas  (brah'gahs)  drawers 

brasero  (brah  say'ro)  a  pan  of  coals 


Caaba  (cah'a  ba) 

caballero  (cah  bah  lyay'ro)  gentleman 

Calderon  (cawl'der  un) 

Calle  de  los  Gomeres  (cah'lyay  day 
lohs  go  may'race) 

Calle  Real  del  Llano  (cah'lyay 
*  ray  ahl'  del  lyah'no) 

Cammacho  (cahm  mah'cho) 

campifia(cahm  p^&'ny  oh)  fertile  plain 

Campotejar  (cahm  po  tay  hahr') 

cap-a-pie  (cap  a  pze')  from  the  French, 
meaning  "  from  head  to  foot."  In 
Spanish  this  is  "  de  pies  a  cabeza  " 

capilla  (cah  pee'lyah) 

Casern  (cah'sem) 

cavalgada  (cah  vahl  gah'dah)  caval 
cade  ;  procession  or  train  usually 
of  people  on  horseback 

cavaliero  (cah  vah  ly&y'ro)  gentleman 

cavalleros  de  mucho  valor  (cah  vah- 
lyay'rohs  day  moo'cho  vah  lor') 
gentlemen  of  great  valor 

Chaldaic  (cal  day'ic) 

charivari  (shah  ree  vah'ree)  a  noisy 
unmusical  serenade  after  a  wedding 

chatelaine  (shat'e  lain)  keeper  of  the 
castle 

Chico  (chee'co) 

chocolate  con  leche  y  bollos  para 
almuerza  (cho  co  lah'tay  cone  lay'- 
chay  ee  bo'lyohs  pah'rah  ahl- 
mwehr'thah) 

ciceroni  (chee  chay  ro'nee)  guides 
who  show  and  explain  to  strangers 
places  of  interest 

cigarrillo  (*  thee  gah  ree'lyo)  ciga 
rette 

Comares  (co  mah'race) 

contrabanclista  (con  trah  bahn  dees'- 
tah)  smuggler 


364 


VOCABULARY 


Cordova  (cor'do  vah) 

Corona  (co  ro'nah) 

corregidor  (*  co  ray  he  dor')  mayor 

Cortes  (cor'tace)  assembly  of  the 
states  ;  the  legislative  body  of  Spain 

Cristiano  viejo  (crees  tyah'noh 
vyay'hoh)  a  descendant  of  Chris 
tians  ;  one  whose  ancestry  has  no 
trace  of  Jlfoors,  Jews,  or  other  non- 
Christian  peoples 

Cyprian  (sip'ri  an) 

Darro  (*  dah'ro) 

Dice  el  sabio'  Aben  Habuz  que  asi 

se  defiende  el  Andaluz  (dee'thay 

el  sah/byo  ah'ben  ah  booth'  kay 

ah  see'  say  day  fyen'day  el  ahn- 

dah  looth') 
Diego    Fernandez    (dyay'go    fehr- 

nahn'dayth) 
Dios   guarde   a  usted   (dyohs'  [one 

syllable}  gwar'day  ah  t  oos  tayth') 
Dios  sabe  (dyohs'  [one  syllable]  sah'- 

bay) 

Dolores  (do  lo'race)   "the   Sorrow 
ful" 
Dona  Antonia-Molina  (do'nyah  ahn- 

to'nyah  mo  lee'nah) 
Dona  Maria  Palacin  (do'nyah  mah- 

ree'ah  pah  lah  theen') 
Don  Juan  (don  hwahn') 
I  )on  Martin  Yanez  de  Barbudo  (don 

mar  teen'    yah'nyayth    day    bar- 

boo'do) 
Don    Munio    Sancho    de    Hinojosa 

(don  moo'nyo   sahn'cho  day  ee- 

no  ho'sah) 
Don    Pedro    de    Granada   Venegas 

(don    pay'dro    day    grah  nah'dah 

vay  nay'gahs) 


Don  Ventura  Rodriguez  (don  vain- 

too'rah  *  ro  dree'gaith) 
Don  Vicente  (don  vee  thayn'tay) 
dramatis    personae   (dram'a  tis    per- 

so'nee)  the  characters  in  the  play 
drawcansir  (draw'can  sir)  braggart 
duena  (dway'nyah)  an  old  wo/nan, 

generally  employed  in  looking  after 

young  ladies 
duenna     (doo  en'a)     the     same    as 

"duena" 
duro  (doo'ro)  dollar 

Eben  Bonabben  (eb'en  bo  nab'ben) 

Ecija  (ay'thee  hah) 

El  Fuente  del  Toro  (el  fwen'tay  del 

to'ro) 

El  Ghalib  (el  gah'lib) 
El  Gobernador  Manco  (el  go'behr- 

nah  dor'  mahn'co) 
El  Hayzari  (el  hi  zah  ree') 
Elizabetta    of    Farnese    (ay  lee  zah- 

bet'tah  ov  far  nay 'say) 
El   Penon  de   los   Enamorados   (el 

pay  nyone'   day   los   t  ay  nah  mo- 

rah'thos) 
el  pobre  Sancho  no  es  nada  sin  Don 

Quixote  (el  po'bray  sahn'cho  no' 

ays  t  nah'thah  seen  don  kee  ho'- 

tay) 

El  Tocador  (el  t  to  cah  thor') 
YA  Torre  del  Espia  (el  *  to'ray  del 

ays  pee'ah) 
El  Ultimo  Suspiro  del  Moro  (el  ool'- 

tee  mo  soos  pee'ro  del  mo'ro) 
Elvira  (el  vee'rah) 
El  Zogoybi  (el  zo  goi  bee') 
En  frente  del  toro  se  hallen  tesor.o 

(en  fren'tay  del  to'ro  say  ah'lyen 

tay  so'ro) 


[365] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 


escopetero  (ays  co  pay  tay'ro)  mus 
keteer 
escribano  (ays  cree  bah'no)  lawyer, 

notary 

espartal  (ays  par  tahl')  bass  weed 
Esta    casa    es   siempre   a  la  dispo- 
sicion    de   Vm.    (ays'tah    cah'sah 
ays   syaym'pray  ah  lah  dees  po- 
see  thyon   day  vways'trah   mehr- 
thayth';  last  th  as  in  this  ) 
estanque  (ays  tahn'kay)  tank 
estudiante  sopista  (ays  too  dyahn'tay 
so  pees'tah)   a  student  living  on 
charity 

fajas  (fah'hahs)  sashes 

Ferdinand  el  Santo  (fer'di  nand  el 

san'to) 

figo  (fee'go)/£- 
Fray  Prudencio   de   Sandoval    (fry 

proo  dain'thyo  day  sahn  do  vahl') 
Fredegonda  (fray  day  gon'dah) 
Fuente    la    Piedra    (fwain'tay    lah 

pyay'drah) 

Gallego  (gah  lyay'go) 

galliard  (gal'yard) 

garbanzos  (gar  bahn'thohs)  chick 
peas,  a  sort  of  pulse  like  large  peas, 
much  used  in  Spain 

Garcilaso  de  la  Vega  (gar  thee  lah'- 
so  day  lah  vay'gah) 

Generalife  (hay  nay  rah  lee'fay) 

Gil  Bias  of  Santillane  (zheel'  blahs' 
ov  sahn  tee  lyahn') 

Gines  Perez  de  Hita  (hee  nace' 
pay'rayth  day  ee'tah) 

Gomeres  (go  may'race) 

Gonzalvo  (gon  thahrvo) 

Granada  (gra  nah'da) 


grande   caballero   (grahn'day    cah- 

bah  lyay'ro)  grand  gentleman 
Guadalquivir  (gwah  dahl  kee  veer') 
Guadix  (f  gwah  theesh/) 

Haxis  (ha  shees') 

Ffegira  (hej'i  rah) 

Hesperian  (hes  pee'ri  an) 

Hie  jacet  Maria  Palacin,  uxor  Mu- 
nonis  Sancij  De  Finojosa  (hick' 
jay'set  ma  ri'a  pal'a  sin  uck'sor 
myoo  no'nis  san'si  i  dee  fin  o- 
jo'sa) 

hidalgo  (e  dahrgo)  a  Spanish  noble 
man  of  the  lower  class 

houries  (hoo'riz)  beatitiful  maidens 
endowed  with  rinfading yoiith,  ac 
cording  to  the  Mohammedan  belief 

Hussein  Baba  (hoo  sine'  bah'bah) 

Ibn  Batuta  (ib'n  ba  too'ta) 

Ibn  Habuz  al  badise  (ib'n  ah  booth' 
ahl  bah  dee'say) 

Ibn-1-Ahmar  (ib  nal  ahh/mar) 

Ibrahim  (ib  ra  heem') 

Ildefonso  (eel  day  fon'so) 

Illora  (ee  lyo'rah) 

imperium  in  imperio  (im  pee'ri  um 
in  im  pee'ri  o)  a  government  with 
in  a  government 

Infanta  (een  fahn'tah) 

infiernos  (een  fyehr'nohs)  infernal 
regions 

Irem  (ir'em) 

Ismael  ben  Ferrag  (is  mah  ayl'  ben ' 
fehr  rahg') 


Jacinta  (hah  theen'tah) 

Jaen  (hah  ain') 

jalecos  (hah  lay'cohs)  yVx^ 

[366] 


VOCABULARY 


jalousie    (zhah  loo  zee')   an  inside 

window-blind  with  slats 
Jose  Maria  (ho  say'  mah  ree'ah) 

Kadiga  (ka  dee'ga) 
Kassaba  (kahs'a  bah) 

La  casa  del  Gallo  de  Viento  (lah 
cah'sah  del  gah/lyo  day  vyain'to) 

La  Cuesta  de  las  Lagrimas  (lah 
cways'tah  day  lahs  lah'gree- 
mahs) 

ladrones  (lah  dro'nace)  thieves,  rob 
bers 

La  Mancha  (lah  mahn'chah) 

La  Nina  (lah  nee'nyah) 

La  Reina  Coquina  (lah  ray'nah  co- 
kee'nah) 

La  Torre  de  los  Siete  Suelos  (lah 
*  to  ray  day  lohs  syay'tay  sway'- 
lohs) 

Lindaraxa  (lin  da  rah'sha) 

Lope  de  Vega  (lo'pay  day  vay'gah) 

Los  Martyros  (lohs  mar  tee'rohs) 

Loxa  (lo'hah) 

iumbreras  (loom  bray'rahs)  any 
bodies  which  emit  light 

Mahomet  (ma  hom'et) 

maja  (mah'hah)  "majo  and  maja" 

means    beaux    and  belles    of  the 

lower  class 
majo  (mah'ho) 
Malaga  (mah'lah  gah) 
Maldita  sea  la  noche  (mahl  dee'tah 

say'ah  lah  no'chay) 
Manco  (mahn'co) 

mantilla  (man  til'a)  head  covering 
for  women,  made  of  lace,  silk,  or 

other  material 


Manuel   Borasco    (mah  nwayl'    bo- 
rahs'co) 

Manuel  Molina  (mah  nwayl'  mo- 
lee'nah) 

maravedi  (mar  a  vay'dy)  an  old 
Spanish  coin  of  small  value 

Maria  Antonia  Sabonea  (mah  ree'ah 
an  to'nyah  sah  bo  nay'ah) 

Marquis  of  Caiesedo  (mar'kwis  ov 
ki  ay  say'do) 

Marquis  of  Gandul  (mar'kwis  ov 
gahn  dool') 

Martin  Yanez  de  Barbudo  (mar- 
teen'  yah'nyayth  day  bar  boo'do) 

masmoras  (mahs  mo'rahs)  subter 
ranean  granaries 

Mateo  Ximenes  (mah  ta/o  hee- 
may'nace) 

medico  (may'dee  ko)  physician 

Medina  (ma  dee'na) 

miquelets  (mee  kay  layts')  moun 
tain  soldiers 

mirador  (f  mee  rah  thor')  balcony  or 
room  generally  on  the  roof  of  the 
house 

Mohamed  (mo  ah'mayd) 

montero  (mon  tay'ro)  ancient  hunt 
ing  cap 

Morisco  (mo  ris'co) 

Muley  Abul  Hassan  (moo  li'  ah'- 
bool  ha'san) 

Murcia  (moor'thyah) 

Musa  (moo'sah) 
* 

naivete  (nah  eev  tay') 

Navas  (nah'vahs) 

Ninguno  mas';  pues,  senor,  soy 
hijo  de  la  Alhambra  (ning  goo'no 
mahs',  pwes',  say  nyor',  soy  ee'ho 
day  lah  ah  lahm'brah) 


[367 


THE    ALHAMBRA 


Omar  Ibn  Hassan  (o'mar  ib'n  ha'- 

san) 
ombre   (om'bray)  a  game  played  by 

three  people ;  same  as  "tresillo" 
Osuna  (o  soo'nah) 

pacha  (pa  shah')  a  Moslem  governor 

of  a  province 
Paez  (pah'ayth) 
pan  de  Dios  (pahn'  day  dyohs' 

[one  syllable'}} 

pannier  (pan'yer)  "wicker  basket 
parterres    (par  tair')    arrangements 

of  flower  beds  of  varying  shapes 

with  walks  between 
paseo  (pah  say'o)  promenade,  walk 
patio  (pah'tyo)  courtyard 
Fedrillo  Pedrugo  (pay  dree'lyo  pay- 

droo'go) 

Pedro  Gil  (pay'dro  heel') 
Pennaflor  (pay  nyah  flor') 
Pepe  (pay'pay) 
Perdon    usted    por    Dios    hermano 

(pehr  dohn'  oos  taid'  por  dyohs' 

[one  syllable]   ehr  mah'no) 
Peregil  (pay  ray  heel') 
peseta  (pay  say'tah)  a  coin  equal  in 

vahie  to   the  fifth   of  a  duro,   or 

dollar 

Pinos  (pee'nohs) 
Plaza  de  los  Aljibes  (plah'thah  day 

lohs  ahl  hee'bace) 
Plaza  Nueva  (plah'thah  nway'vah) 
Ponce  de  Leon  (pon'thay  d$y  lay- 

ohn') 

posada  (t  po  sah'thah)  lodging  house 
Prado  (t  prah'tho) 
puchero   (poo  chay'ro)   a  dish  com 
posed  of  beef,  ham,  chick-peas,  and 

other  vegetables 


Puerta  de  las  Granadas  (pwehr'tah 
day  lahs  tgrahnah/thahs)"  Pome 
granate  Gate" 

Puerte  del  Key  (pwehr'tay  del  ray) 

punctilio  (punk  til'e  o)  most  careful 
observation  of  nice  points  of  eti 
quette  and  ceremonv 

pundonor  (poon  do  nor')  sensitive 
ness  on  the  point  of  honor 

puro  (poo'ro)  cigar 

quarto  (kwar'to)  halfpenny 

Que  angosta  y  miserabile  seria  nues- 
tra  vida,  sino  fuera  tan  dilatada 
y  espaciosa  nuestra  esperanza 
(kay  ahng  gohs'tah  ee  mee  say- 
rah'bee  lay  say  ree'ah  nways'- 
trah  f  vee'thah  see  no'  fway  ray 
tahnx  t  dee  lah  tah'thah  ee  ays- 
pah  thyo'sah  nways'trah  ays  pay- 
rahn'thah) 

quidnunc  (kwid'nungkj^what  now?" 
one  who  is  curious  to  know  all 
that  is  going  on 

Quien  quiere  agua  —  agua  mas  fria 
que  la  nieve  (kyayn'  [one  syllable] 
kyay'ray  ah'gwah,  ah'gwah  mahs 
free'ah  kay  lah  nyay'vay) 

rateros  (*  rah  tay'rohs)  solitary  foot 
pads 

renegade  (ren  e  gay'do)  one  faith 
less  to  principle  or  party,  especially 
a  person  who  forsakes  one  religious 
faith  for  another ;  in  Spain,  one 
who  has  renounced  Christianity 

roscas  (*  rohs'cahs)  round,  twisted 
loaves  of  bread 

Ruiz  de  Alarcon  (*rweeth'  day  ah- 
lar  cohn') 


[368] 


VOCABULARY 


Salado  (t  sah  lah'tho) 
Salamanca  {sah  lah  mahng'ca) 
Salmanara  (sahl  mah  nah'rah) 
Salobrena  (sah  lo  bray'nyah) 
Salones  grandes — camas  de  luxo  — 
colchones  de  pluma  (sah  lo'nays 
grahn'dace,  cah'mahs  day  loo'ho, 
cohl  cho'nays  day  ploo'mah) 
Sancho  Panza  (sang'ko'pan'za) 
San  Fernando  (sahn'  fehr  nahn'do) 
Santa  Fe  (sahn'tah  fay') 
Santa  Maria  de  Almocovara  (sahn'- 
tah    mah  ree'ah    day    ahl  mo  co- 
vah'rah) 

Santiago  (sahn  tyah'go) 
scarabaeus  (scar  a  bee'us) 
Scheherezade     (sheh  hay  reh  zah'- 

deh) 

Segovia  (say  go'vyah) 
se    hacen    ladrones    legitimos    (say 
ah'then  lah  dro'nace   lay  hee'tee- 
mohs) 

seneschal  (sen'e  shul)  an  officer  in 
the  houses  of  princes  and  dignita 
ries  in  the  Middle  Ages  who  had 
charge  of  feasts  and  domestic  cere 
monies 

senor  (say  nyor')  sir,  mister 
Sheddad  (shed  dahd') 
Sidi  Hasan  (see'dee  ha'san) 
Sierra  Morena  (*  syay'rah  mo  ray'- 

nah) 
Sierra     Nevada    (*  syay'rah    f  nay- 

vah'thah) 
siesta  al  fresco  (si  es'ta  ahl  fres'co) 

a  siesta,  or  nap,  in  the  open  air 
Silla  del  Moro  (see'lyah  del  mo'ro) 
sombrero  (som  bray'ro) 
Soto  de  Roma  (so'to  day  *  ro'mah) 
spolia  opima  (spo'li  a  o  pi'ma) 


Tagus  (tay'gus) 

talas  (t 

Tarfe  (tar'fay) 

Taric  (tah'ric) 

tartana   (tar  tah'nah)  a  two-wheeled 

vehicle 

Te  Deum  (tee'  dee'um) 
tertulias   (tehr  too'lyahs)  gatherings 

for  evening  conversation 
tesoro  (tay  so'ro)  treasure 
tete-a-tete     (tait  ah  tait')    alone;     a 

French  expression,  meaning  liter 
ally  "  head  to  head  " 
Tetuan  (teh  twahn') 
Tia  Antonia  (tee'ah  ahn  to'nyah) 
tiembla    la    tierra    (tyem'blah    lah 

*  tyay'rah) 

Torre  del  Vino  (*  to'ray  del  vee'no) 
torres     bermejas     (*to'race    behr- 

may'hahs)  vermilion  towers 
trabuco  (trah  boo'co)  a  blunderbuss 

or  gun 
tresillo  (tray  see'lyo)  a  game  played 

by  three  people  ;  same  as  ''ombre" 

I'cles  (oo'klace) 

\'aldepenas  (vahl  day  pay'nyahs) 

Valencia  (vah  lain'thyah) 

Va  usted  con  Dios,  Caballero  (vah7 
t  oos  tayth'  con  dyohs'  [one  syl 
lable}  cah  bah  lyay'ro) 

vega  (vay'gah)  a  fertile  plain 

ventas  (vain'tahs)  poor  inns  on  roads 
far  from  towns  or  villages 

via  dolorosa  (vi'a  dol  o  ro'sa)  "  sor 
rowful  way  " 


Wa  le  ghalib  ile  Alah  (wa  lay'  gah'- 
lib  il  lei  lah') 


[369] 


THE   ALHAMBRA 

Xenil  (hay  neel')  Zacatin  (thah  cah  teen') 

Zayda  (zi'da) 
Yusef  Abul  Hagig  (yoo'sef  ah/bool       Zegris  (thay  grees7) 

ha  gheeg')  Zorahayda  (zo  ra  hi'da) 

Yusef  ben  Mohammed  (yoc/sef  ben       Zorayda  (zo  ri'da) 

mo  ham'med) 


[370] 


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